Peritoneal Dialysis Systems, Devices, and Methods

ABSTRACT

An automated peritoneal dialysis system provides both cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment. The system includes a fluid preparation and treatment device with concentrate dilution components connected to a source of purified water and medicament concentrate. The treatment device has at least one mixing container connected via a pump and valves to the sources, the valves and the pump mixing and diluting the concentrate to form a medicament. Conductivity sensors are provided for fluid quality measurement, calibration, error trapping, and fluid characterization.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/820,672 filed Nov. 22, 2017, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/348,533 filed Mar. 28, 2014, which is the national stage entry of International Application No. PCT/US2012/056781 filed on Sep. 23, 2012, which claims the benefit of International Application PCT/US2012/030350 filed Mar. 23, 2012. The entirety of each of these applications is expressly incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The disclosed subject matter relates generally to the treatment of end stage renal failure and more specifically to devices, methods, systems, improvements, and components for performing peritoneal dialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis is a mature technology that has been in use for many years. It is one of two common forms of dialysis, the other being hemodialysis, which uses an artificial membrane to directly cleanse the blood of a renal patient. Peritoneal dialysis employs the natural membrane of the peritoneum to permit the removal of excess water and toxins from the blood.

In peritoneal dialysis, sterile peritoneal solution is infused into a patient's peritoneal cavity using a catheter that has been inserted through the abdominal wall. The solution remains in the peritoneal cavity for a dwell period. Osmosis exchange with the patient's blood occurs across the peritoneal membrane, removing urea and other toxins and excess water from the blood. Ions that need to be regulated are also exchanged across the membrane. The removal of excess water results in a higher volume of fluid being removed from the patient than is infused. The net excess is called ultrafiltrate, and the process of removal is called ultrafiltration. After the dwell time, the dialysate is removed from the body cavity through the catheter.

Peritoneal dialysis requires the maintenance of strict sterility because of the high risk of peritoneal infection. The risk of infection is particularly high due to the long periods of time that the patient is exposed to the dialysate.

In one form of peritoneal dialysis, which is sometimes referred to as cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis, an automated cycler is used to infuse and drain dialysate. This form of treatment can be done automatically at night while the patient sleeps. One of the safety mechanisms for such a treatment is the monitoring by the cycler of the quantity of ultrafiltrate. The cycler performs this monitoring function by measuring the amount of fluid infused and the amount removed to compute the net fluid removal.

The treatment sequence usually begins with an initial drain cycle to empty the peritoneal cavity of spent dialysate, except on so-called “dry days” when the patient begins automated treatment without a peritoneum filled with dialysate. The cycler then performs a series of fill, dwell, and drain cycles, typically finishing with a fill cycle.

The fill cycle presents a risk of over-pressurizing the peritoneal cavity, which has a low tolerance for excess pressure. In traditional peritoneal dialysis, a dialysate container is elevated to certain level above the patient's abdomen so that the fill pressure is determined by the height difference. Automated systems sometimes employ pumps that cannot generate a pressure beyond a certain level, but this system is not foolproof since a fluid column height can arise due to a patient-cycler level difference and cause an overpressure. A reverse height difference can also introduce an error in the fluid balance calculation because of incomplete draining.

Modern cyclers may fill by regulating fill volume during each cycle. The volume may be entered into a controller based on a prescription. The prescription, which also determines the composition of the dialysate, may be based upon the patient's size, weight, and other criteria. Due to errors, prescriptions may be incorrect or imperfectly implemented resulting in a detriment to patient well-being and health.

Systems that measure pressure have been proposed. For example, a pressure sensor in contact with a fluid circuit at the cycler has been described. The sensor indicates the pressure at the proximal end of the fill/drain line. During operation, a controller connected to the pressure sensor changes the operation of the peritoneal dialysis machine in response to changes in pressure sensed by the pressure sensor.

SUMMARY

Briefly, an automated peritoneal dialysis system provides various features including prescription-driven dialysis fluid preparation, an integrated disposable fluid circuit, and sensor capabilities that allow accurate filling and draining control with high safety margins. Features include a peritoneal fluid circuit with a pressure sensor at either end and methods and devices for using the pressure signals. Other features and embodiments are disclosed.

Objects and advantages of embodiments of the disclosed subject matter will become apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will hereinafter be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements. The accompanying drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Where applicable, some features may not be illustrated to assist in the description of underlying features.

FIG. 1 shows a peritoneal dialysis system with pressure sensors located at a patient and at a peritoneal dialysis cycler, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 2A shows a pod-type pressure sensor, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 2B shows a peritoneal dialysis tubing set with an integrated pressure sensor according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 3A shows a cycler and peritoneal dialysis fill/drain line, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 3B shows a fill/drain line with a peritoneal catheter according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 3C shows a coextruded air line and fluid line which may be employed in an embodiment of a peritoneal fill/drain line set having a peritoneal fill/drain line and pressure pod type pressure sensor thereon.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a fill/drain line with a peritoneal catheter according to further embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIGS. 5A-5C show threads of a procedure for monitoring fill/drain processes of a cycler using pressure sensors according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 6A shows a peritoneal dialysis solution preparation and treatment system according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 6B shows the peritoneal dialysis solution preparation and treatment system of FIG. 6A in a first phase of fluid preparation in which osmotic agent is added to a batch container, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 6C shows the peritoneal dialysis solution preparation and treatment system of FIG. 6A in a second phase of fluid preparation in which a dialysate precursor is obtained by dilution and mixing the contents of the batch container, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 6D shows the peritoneal dialysis solution preparation and treatment system of FIG. 6A in a third phase of fluid preparation in which the dialysate precursor properties are verified, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 6E shows the peritoneal dialysis solution preparation and treatment system of FIG. 6A in a fourth phase of fluid preparation in which dialysate precursor is further prepared by addition of electrolyte to the batch container, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 6F shows the peritoneal dialysis solution preparation and treatment system of FIG. 6A in a fifth phase of fluid preparation in which end-use dialysis solution is prepared by adjustment of the dilution of the batch container contents, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 6G shows the peritoneal dialysis solution preparation and treatment system of FIG. 6A in a sixth phase of fluid preparation in which dialysis solution in the batch container is verified, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 6H and FIG. 6K show the peritoneal dialysis solution preparation and treatment system of FIG. 6A in various treatment modes, according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 7A shows a disposable for use with the peritoneal dialysis system of FIG. 6A according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIGS. 7B and 7C shows an embodiment of the disposable of FIG. 7A in use on a cycler and fluid preparation device according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 7D illustrates a configuration that employs bagged water as a source of water for dilution rather than a water purification plant.

FIG. 8A shows a schematic diagram of a peritoneal dialysis system that generates peritoneal dialysis solution from concentrate according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIGS. 8B and 8C show how the valves of a manifold module operate to selectively block and permit the flow of fluid through the manifold module.

FIGS. 8D and 8E show fluid circuit embodiments.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of a water purifier and with features to support renal replacement therapy delivery systems according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic diagram of a peritoneal dialysis system that uses pre-mixed dialysate according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 11 shows a flow chart describing respective methods for preparing a peritoneal dialysis system for treatment and performing a treatment using either pre-mixed dialysate or concentrate.

FIG. 12 shows a method for fluid circuit priming which may be used in one of the processes shown in FIG. 11 according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 13 shows a method for fluid preparation which may be used in one of the processes shown in FIG. 11 according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 14 shows a method of pressure testing a sterile filter which may be used in one of the processes shown in FIG. 11 according to embodiments of the disclosed subject.

FIG. 15 shows a method for priming a patient line leading to a patient access, which may be used in one of the processes shown in FIG. 11 according to embodiments of the disclosed subject.

FIG. 16 shows a method for disconnecting and flushing a used fluid circuit which may be used in one of the processes shown in FIG. 11 according to embodiments of the disclosed subject.

FIGS. 17A-17H, 17J-17N, and 17P-17T illustrate steps of preparation for, and termination of, a treatment which may be used in one of the processes shown in FIG. 11 according to embodiments of the disclosed subject.

FIG. 18 illustrates a control system according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 19 shows a fluid path and actuator layout according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 20 shows a sequential solution mixing system that employs consistent volumetric displacement to provide predicted component ratios of constituent fluids.

FIG. 21 shows a method for preparing and mixing a solution, such as a medicament, which may be used with any suitable system including the system of FIG. 20 and the foregoing PD dialysate mixing systems described elsewhere in the present specification.

FIG. 22A shows a system for mixing component fluids to form a batch and which includes a description of features for calibrating one or more pumps.

FIG. 22B is a flow chart for discussing a technique for mitigating non-linear effects during fluid preparation.

FIGS. 23A through 23C illustrate a self-sterilizing PD cycler/fluid preparation system which employs flow switching and pumping in a permanent system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a peritoneal dialysis system 100 includes a peritoneal dialysis (PD) cycler 101 with an internal pump (not shown). The PD cycler 101 pumps dialysis solution from a container 106, such as a bag, or other source, to a patient access 114 through a fill/drain line 112 to a peritoneal catheter 114 into the peritoneum of a patient 108. This happens during a fill cycle.

During a drain cycle, spent dialysate is withdrawn from the patient by flowing in reverse through the fill/drain line back to the cycler 101 and out through a drain 104. The cycler 101 quantifies the volume of fluid that is infused and drained and provides an accounting of the difference to allow the net amount of fluid withdrawn from the patient to be determined.

The pump may be any suitable pump such as a diaphragm pump or a peristaltic pump. Alternatively, the cycler may rely on other fluid conveyance systems such as an over or under-pressurized supply/sump container, gravity feed or any other suitable mechanism.

A controller 116 allows the system to regulate a flow rate to ensure the patient's peritoneal cavity is not over-pressurized. The flow regulation may be accomplished by changing a speed of a pump or by means of a variable flow restrictor or any suitable mechanism conforming to the requirements of the type of fluid conveyance system employed.

Prior art systems have prevented exceeding a safe limit on peritoneal pressure by a variety of mechanisms, including measuring pressure in the fill line using a pressure sensor located on the PD cycler and applying feedback control of the pump to ensure a limit is not exceeded. Another prior art device for preventing over-pressurization of the peritoneal cavity limits the total head pressure by employing a gravitational feed.

An alternative may employ a pressure detection device 110 located at the end of a fill line 112, adjacent the patient 108, or at the access 114 itself, to take pressure readings close to the patient. By using pressure measurements from this location, the error in pressure measurement of the peritoneal cavity due to pressure loss in the fill line during filling of the cavity is eliminated. In this way the flow rate can be controlled by a continuous feedback loop to maintain the cavity pressure below a desired safety threshold. Locating the pressure sensor close to the patient also eliminates another source of error which may arise from a level difference between the supply side of the fill line 112 and the catheter end of the fill line. That is, if the cycler 101 is located higher than the patient access, the gravitational head pressure of the fill line could cause a greater pressure than indicated by a prior art pressure sensor located at the PD cycler which may not otherwise be accounted for, causing excessive pressure to be applied. A low cycler may cause inadequate pressure and slow fill cycles.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, to provide accurate pressure indication, the pressure detection device 110 is located close to the patient 108 to maximize responsiveness to changes in the peritoneal cavity pressure and minimize the effect of pressure drop due to flow resistance. An electrical pressure transducer may be located at the end of the line. Alternatively, a pressure pod as described in the attached US patent publication 20070179422 may be used. In an embodiment, a pressure transducer may be located at the controller or cycler as shown in FIG. 1 and also at the patient access to measure the pressure of the peritoneal space without the signal bias produced by line pressure drop in the line 112.

FIG. 2A shows a pressure measurement pod 10. In the pod 10, air chamber 45 is in communication with an air port 12 and air line 40 that can be connected to a pressure transducer (not shown). Fluid flows through a fluid chamber 60 between an inlet line 35 connected to an inlet port 70 and out of the fluid chamber 60 through an outlet port 72 into an outlet line 15. The pressure of the fluid in the fluid chamber 60 displaces a diaphragm 25 until the air chamber 45 and fluid chamber 60 are at equilibrium, which is preferably the situation when the air and fluid chambers 45 and 60 are at equal pressure.

The pod 10 is primarily made of two parts, a fluid-side shell 30 and an air-side shell 17, that, together, form an enclosure 5 that defines the fluid and air chambers 60 and 45. The ratio of the minimum to the maximum volume of the air chamber 45, including the volume of the line 40 and port 12, is proportional to the total pressure variation that can be measured by the transducer attached to the line 40.

Referring now to FIG. 3A, a fill/drain tubing set 309 has a pod 304 for indicating pressure. The pod 304 may conform to the design of pod 10 of FIG. 2A and may be used to provide a pressure indication at a distal end of a fill/drain line 306. FIG. 3A shows a PD cycler 318 with source of dialysate 320 and connectors 316 and 314 for the fill/drain line and a pressure sensing line 302, respectively. The pressure sensing line 302 connects a pressure transducer (not shown separately) on the PD cycler 318 to the pod 304 to permit the transducer to read the pressure exerted on the diaphragm (not shown in FIG. 3A) of the pod 304. The pod 304 is connected directly to the fill/drain line 306 in an inline configuration and close to an access connector 326 to which a peritoneal catheter 322 can be connected by connector 324. The pressure sensing line 302 is attached to the fill/drain line 306, for example by a series of connectors 308, so that it runs parallel along the fill/drain line 306. The PD cycler 318 may also be provided with an additional pressure sensing device forming part of a fluid circuit to which the fill/drain line 306 is attached and configured to measure the pressure in the fill/drain line 306 close to the PD cycler 318.

Thus, in the present embodiments, the pressures at each end of the fill/drain line 306 may be determined by a controller that operates the cycler at all times during operation of the PD cycler 318 and applied as continuous input signals to the controller during fill and drain operations. As discussed below, these inputs can be used to allow the capture and storage of vital signs, detection of flow restrictions and kinks in the fill/drain line 306, and allow the regulation of flow rate while managing the pressure within the peritoneum.

FIG. 2B shows a peritoneal dialysis tubing set 60 with an integrated pressure sensor 45 located at a distal end of a fill-drain line 47. The fill-drain line may have one or two lumens for shared or separate fill and drain use, respectively. A pressure transducer 45 is in pressure communication with a lumen of the fill-drain line 47. If there are separate fill and drain lumens, each may carry its own pressure transducer 45 or only one, for example, the fill line, may carry a pressure transducer 45. The transducer may be, for example, a strain gauge component that reacts to isotropic pressure (e.g. fully wetted and immersed) or it may be a strain gauge component built into the wall of an inline fluid conveying component. Other configurations are also possible to achieve the effect of providing pressure sensing at the distal end of the fill-drain line 47. A pair (or more, as necessary) of conductors 48 run along the length of the fill-drain line 47 to connect to an electrical connector 50 which connects to a driver circuit 51. The driver circuit may contain a power supply and reader circuit or other suitable circuitry for generating a pressure signal from the pressure applied by fluid in the lumen of the fill-drain line 47 at its distal end. A connector 46 configured for connection to a peritoneal catheter is attached to the distal end and a connector 49 for connection to a source and/or sink of fluid is located on the proximal end of the fill-drain line 47. The connector 46 may be permanently attached to a peritoneal catheter or may have a peritoneal catheter preinstalled thereat. The connectors 49 and 46 may be sealed to isolate the lumen and the unit 60 delivered as a sealed unit with a sterile lumen.

Referring now to FIG. 3B, a variation of a fill/drain line tubing set 330 similar to the embodiment 309 of FIG. 3A has a double tube 332 with fill/drain line portion 332A having a large diameter lumen on one side and pressure line portion 332B having a small diameter lumen 332B on the other side. Both lumens run the entire length of the fill/drain tubing set 330. Connectors 334 and 336 are provided at proximal end for connecting the fill/drain line side 332A lumen and the pressure line side 332B lumen to a fluid circuit and pressure sensor respectively. A pressure pod 331 is connected to convey pressure signals through the small lumen of the pressure line side 332B. The pressure pod 331 is connected inline with the fill/drain lumen such that pressure is applied to an internal diaphragm indicating pressure at the distal end of the fill/drain lumen. Note that the fill/drain tubing set 330 may be formed in various ways, for example by welding two tubes together or by extruding the two tubes with an integral web between them. Mating connectors 326 and 324 may be provided for connecting a peritoneal catheter 322.

The embodiment of FIG. 3B may be used in the same manner as that of FIG. 3A. Thus, in this embodiment also, the pressures at each end of the fill/drain line may be determined by a controller that operates the cycler at all times during operation of any suitable PD cycler and applied as continuous input signals to the controller during fill and drain operations.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a peritoneal catheter 350 has an integrated pressure transducer 342 which is connected by embedded electrical leads 340 running along the catheter 350 to a terminal connector 340. A pair of cuffs 344 is located on a proximal section 348 near the proximal end which is provided with a fluid connector 352. The pressure transducer 342 may be a strain gauge device with a flexible hermetic wrapper that can be welded to the catheter or integrally molded in. The connector 366 may be of any suitable type and may be connected a lead 365 carried on a fill/drain tubing set 360 similar in design to that of FIG. 3A (or that of FIG. 3B or any other suitable design). The lead 365 may have suitable mating electrical connectors for connection to a cycler with a controller to apply a pressure signal from the transducer 342. The catheter 350 has openings to distribute outflow and suction in the peritoneal cavity as in known catheters for peritoneal dialysis.

A variation of any of the foregoing embodiments may be fill/drain lines with separated fill and drain lines, each having a respective lumen. The lines may be connected to the cycler by separate attachments, merged by a T or Y junction at the cycler, merged at the peritoneal catheter or a combination of these.

FIG. 3C shows a coextruded air line and fluid line which may be employed in an embodiment of a peritoneal fill/drain line having a patient fill-drain line and pressure pod type pressure sensor thereon. It will appreciated that such an embodiment may be readily based on the embodiments of FIGS. 3A and 3B. A coextrusion 390 has an air line portion 389 and a fluid line 388. The fluid line 388, which may be connected as described herein for conveying fresh and spent peritoneal dialysis fluid, may be of larger diameter than an air line 389. The air line may be attached to convey pressure signals from a pod (e.g., 304 in FIG. 3A) to a transducer (e.g., 314 in FIG. 3A). In an alternative embodiment, a patient line may have separate fill and drain lines which may be coextruded as a unit with the air line thus forming three lumens in a single integral structure.

Referring now to FIGS. 5A to 5C, an example process for monitoring pressure signals from the foregoing peritoneal devices is now described. FIG. 5A shows a process for storing a string of pressure signal samples for an interval of time. For example, the pressure signal may be sampled at 100 ms intervals for a period of 20 seconds at S12 and the process repeated after a delay S10. The samples may be stored in a memory for many samples covering an entire treatment or for only a portion of a treatment. Alternatively to the process of FIG. 5A, pressure data samples respective of each pressure sensor may be continuously stored in a memory and refreshed after archiving following a treatment or refreshed in a first-in first-out fashion according to a time interval so as to preserve only a short term historical record. In another alternative, only instantaneous pressure data may be stored.

The procedure of FIG. 5B derives various information from the data stored by the operation of FIG. 5A. The operation may be applied to each pressure signal, including, for example, those provided by a distal pressure sensor (e.g., 110 of FIG. 1) and a proximal pressure sensor (e.g., 102 of FIG. 1). The procedure of FIG. 5A recovers the stored signal segment S22 and processes it to remove noise S24 (e.g., low pass filtering, smoothing, thresholding or other suitable filtering process). At S26, the pressure signal segment is analyzed to generate a reliability metric indicating its accuracy. The latter may be done in various ways, for example, by identifying differences between a stored actual reading and a measured pressure or rate of change in pressure. In addition, or alternatively, the goodness of fit of the pressure profile to a stored model may provide a measure of accuracy (the curves being fitted in S28). The pressure reading may be compared to a profile. In S28, pressure profile data is translated into a respiration rate and pulse rate by fitting expected respiration and pulse curves to the stored data and the reliability metric and analyzing.

More sophisticated analysis may be done in S28 as well, for example, by fitting the measured data curves to curves that characterize identifiable conditions, such as dangerous conditions. For example, a leak may be indicated by a sharp drop in pressure at the distal location along with a gradual trend of ebbing pressure. The profile templates that characterize events may be determined via experiment or modeling or simply by judgment and stored in a memory of the controller. Other events that may be identified, for example by comparing distal and proximal pressure readings, are kinks or flow restrictions in the fill/drain line or changes in the properties of fluid, for example such as may evidence peritoneal infection. The latter may be detected by identifying an excessive pressure drop in the fill/drain line during a drain operation, which may be caused by excessive viscosity in the spent dialysate. In S30, events detected in the profile data, current pressure values, historical data, and reliability estimates are updated. Current data, for example, may be stored in a location representing current values and historical data may be stored in memory locations representing historical values along with time and date values. For example, a memory location may hold a current estimate of patency of the fill/drain line. The event detection results may be represented as status flags and associated reliability estimates or other metrics such as a measure of goodness of fit to a characteristic curve or instantaneous value.

Referring to FIG. 5C, during a fill or drain cycle S42, the event recognition status and/or instantaneous values, such as those of pressure, are read by the controller from the controller memory S44 and compared to various threshold levels S46, S48, S50 and if the threshold test is met, an alarm indication may be generated S52 and the cycler may be placed in a safe mode corresponding to the detected event or condition. Otherwise, control may return to S42.

Archived data may be transferred to a data store for combination with data of multiple patients, for example via an internet connection, for analysis and comparison purposes.

The conditions detected in S46, S48, S50 may include, for example:

1. A reduction in the strength of vital signs (e.g., respiration, pulse) signal evidencing a line obstruction, loss of patency of the catheter or other problem;

2. Excessive pressure loss for an instantaneous flow rate, which may indicate a line obstruction, kink, or pinching of the line or other problem;

3. Excessive pressure of the peritoneum which may be compensated by reducing or stopping the flow rate;

4. Excessive drain flow pressure loss in the drain line due to high viscosity which may indicate an infection.

Referring now to FIG. 6A, a peritoneal cycler system 600 generates custom peritoneal dialysis solution according to a prescription stored in a controller 610. The prescription may be entered in the controller via a user interface 601, via a remote terminal and/or server 603 or by other means such as a smart card or bar code reader (not shown). The controller applies control signals to a fluid conveyer and circuit switch 616 and a water purifier 620 and receives signals from distal and proximal pressure sensors 613 and 614, respectively, on a fill/drain line 650 which may be in accord with foregoing embodiments.

The fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 is a fluid circuit element with one or more sensors, actuators, and/or pumps which is effective to convey fluid between selected lines 642, 644, 646, 648, 650 and 618 responsively to control signals from the controller 610. Example embodiments are described herein, but many details are known from the prior art for making such a device so it is not elaborated here.

A multiple-container unit 641 includes a pre-filled, pre-sterilized osmotic agent container for osmotic agent concentrate 602 and another electrolyte container with electrolyte concentrate 604. The unit 641 also contains an empty batch container 606 which is large enough to hold a sufficient volume of dialysis solution for the completion of at least one fill cycle of an automated peritoneal dialysis treatment. The containers 602, 604, and 606 may be flexible bag-type containers that collapse when fluid is drawn from them and therefore, do not require any means to vent air into them when drained.

Osmotic agent container 602, electrolyte container 604, and batch container 606 are all connected by respective lines 642, 648, 644, and 646 to the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616. The fill/drain line (or multiple lines) 650 and a spent fluid drain line 618 with a conductivity sensor 628 may also be connected to the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616. The fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 also has a fill line 631 for receiving water. The water purifier 620 may be a purifier or any source of sterile and pure water including a presterilized container of water or multiple containers. In a preferred configuration, water purifier 620 may be configured as described in WO2007/118235 (PCT/US2007/066251) hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and attached to the provisional application. For example, the water purifier 620 may include the flow circuit components of FIG. 22A including the water purification stages and conform generally to the mechanical packaging design shown in FIG. 24 of the incorporated (attached) publication.

FIG. 6B shows a preliminary stage of fluid preparation prior to treatment according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. The controller 610 reads a prescription and generates a command, responsive to a treatment preparation initiation command, to flow osmotic agent concentrate from container 602 to the batch container 606. The command is applied to the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 to connect the osmotic agent concentrate line 642 to the batch fill line 644 and also to convey the osmotic agent concentrate into the batch container 606. This may be done by one or more valve actuators and one or more pumps that form the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616. The fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 may be configured to meter the quantity of osmotic agent precisely according to a predicted amount of dilution by electrolyte and water to achieve the prescription. The metering may be performed by a positive displacement pump internal to the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 or other means such as a measurement of the weight of the osmotic agent container 602 or the batch container or a volumetric flow measurement device.

In an alternative embodiment, part of the water (less than the total used for dilution as discussed below with reference to FIG. 6C) is added to the batch container first, before the osmotic agent and electrolytes (if needed) are pumped into the batch container.

Referring now to FIG. 6C, a dilution stage is performed using the peritoneal cycler system 600. The controller 610, in response to the prescription, generates a command, to flow purified water from the water purifier 620 to the batch container 606. The command is applied to the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 to connect the purified water line 631 to the batch container 606 to add a measured quantity of water to dilute the osmotic agent concentrate in the batch container 606. The controller may control the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 to ensure the correct amount of water is conveyed. Alternatively, the water purifier may incorporate a flow measurement device or metering pump or other suitable mechanism to convey the correct amount of water. The controller 610 may be connected to the water purifier 620 to effectuate the dilution result. The fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 may also be configured to circulate diluted osmotic agent solution through lines 644 and 646 either simultaneously with the dilution or after the diluting water has been transferred to the batch container according to alternative embodiments.

The relative amounts of water, osmotic agent, and electrolyte may be defined based on the ratiometric proportioning properties of the pump. Since a single tube is used to convey all the liquids into the batch container, most sources of offset from predicted pumping rate (based on shaft rotations, for example) to actual pumping rate affect all the fluids roughly equally.

Referring now to FIG. 6D, the diluted osmotic agent solution in the batch container 606 is tested to ensure the correct concentration of osmotic agent is achieved. In an embodiment, the osmotic agent concentrate 602 has an amount of electrolyte concentrate to generate a conductivity signal using the conductivity sensor 628 when fluid from the batch container 606 is conveyed by the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 to the drain line 618 past the conductivity sensor. The amount of electrolyte pre-mixed with the osmotic agent may be lowest ratio of electrolyte to osmotic agent a possible prescription may require. The fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 may perform the function using one or more valve actuators and one or more pumps that form the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616. The fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 may be configured to meter the quantity of water precisely or the function may be provided by the water purifier 620. The controller may add additional water or osmotic agent and test the conductivity again if the measured concentration of osmotic agent/electrolyte is incorrect. In addition to using a combined osmotic agent and electrolyte concentrate in osmotic agent container 602, in an alternative embodiment, the osmotic agent container 606 holds osmotic agent concentrate with no electrolyte and osmotic agent concentration is measured directly by other means such as specific gravity (hydrometer), refractive index (refractometer), polarization, infrared absorption or other spectrographic technique.

FIG. 6E shows an electrolyte addition stage of fluid preparation prior to treatment according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. The controller 610 reads a prescription and generates a command to flow electrolyte from container 604 to the batch container 606. The command is applied to the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 to connect the electrolyte concentrate line 648 to the batch fill line 644 and also to convey the electrolyte concentrate into the batch container 606. This may be done by one or more valve actuators and one or more pumps that form the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616. The fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 may be configured to meter the quantity of electrolyte precisely according to a predicted amount of dilution by osmotic agent and water that has been previously determined to be in the batch container 606, to achieve the prescription. The metering may be performed by a positive displacement pump internal to the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 or other means such as a measurement of the weight of the electrolyte container 604 or the batch container 606 or a volumetric flow measurement device.

Referring now to FIG. 6F, the electrolyte may be mixed using the batch fill and drain lines 646 and 644 in a closed loop. If necessary, depending on how much dilution was performed during the osmotic agent dilution process, further dilution may be performed as described above. The final formulation may be achieved by the process illustrated in FIG. 6F. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 6G, the final electrolyte concentration of the mixture in batch container 606 may be determined with a conductivity sensor 628 by flowing a sample therethrough.

In addition to mass or conductance measurements, other types of measures may be used to measure proportions of dialysis fluid components and dilution. For example, tracer chemicals such as radioactive tracers or dyes may be used.

Although gravimetric and tracer/conductance sensing were described as devices for ensuring proper proportioning and dilution rates for achieving target prescriptions, it should be clear that the system may employ ratiometric proportioning as well, particularly where positive displacement pumping is employed. Ratiometric proportioning takes advantage of the volumetric repeatability and predictability of certain pumps. For example, a particular pump can deliver a highly repeatable volume of fluid for a given number of pumping cycles (pump rotations for a peristaltic pump or cycles for a diaphragm pump, for example). If all dialysis solution components (water, osmotic agent concentrate, and electrolyte concentrate, for example) are delivered to the mixing container using the same pump, including, for example, the pumping tube segment of a peristaltic pump, then the volume ratios of the components will, after adjustment for potential flow path and/or viscosity differences as described below, be fully determined by the number of pump cycles used to convey each component.

This proportioning may supplement or substitute for measurement of the fluid conductance or density or other measurements. To convert the number of pump cycles to actual displaced mass or volume, a calibration may be performed and/or flow path (including fluid properties) compensation parameters may be employed. The flow path compensation parameters may be respective to each particular fluid flow path and/or fluid type, or may be identical for all fluid paths and fluid types. To provide enhanced accuracy, one or more pump calibration and/or flow path compensation parameters may be generated through a calibration procedure. Typically, flow path compensation factors will be established during the development of the system and stored in non-volatile memory. Typically, one or more flow path calibration procedures will be performed when the system is used by a patient. The calibration procedure may be performed after each new fluid set is installed, or before each batch preparation cycle, or even multiple times during the preparation of a single batch. A disposable fluid set may be installed every day. The calibration procedure may be done using water. The calibration may sequentially pump fluid through one or more of the following stages:

From To Water source Drain Batch container Drain Osmotic agent concentrate container Drain Electrolyte concentrate container Drain Patient access Drain Batch container Patient access Osmotic agent concentrate container Batch container Electrolyte concentrate container Batch container Water source Batch container In the calibration procedure, fluid is pumped between any or all of the paths identified above. A separate calibration coefficient may be generated for each of the paths. The calibration coefficient may be stored in a memory or non-volatile data store, for example, as a parameter representing the number of ml/per pump rotation (or diaphragm pump cycle), or as a proportionality ratio relative to a particular reference flow path. The actual fluid quantity transported during the calibration step may be measured by any suitable device (flow sensor) including volume or mass measurement devices or direct flow rate measurement with integration, for example, using laser Doppler velocimetry, thermal transit time, magnetohydrodynamics, propeller hydrometer, positive displacement flow measurement, differential pressure through a resistance such as a venturi, nozzle, orifice plate, or other flow obstruction, variable area or rotameter, pitot or impact tube, vortex shedding frequency counting, ultrasonic, or other device. A particularly advantageous device for flow calibration is to measure the transit time of a fluid property perturbation between spaced fluid property sensors as described below with reference to FIG. 22A. Any of the disclosed embodiments may employ a flow sensor in which at least the portion of which that carries fluid is disposable so that the flow rate (or total displaced fluid quantity) can be input to a controller while allowing the use of a disposable fluid circuit. Examples include an ultrasonic soft tube flowmeter made by Strain Measurement Devices SMD that non-invasively measures flow in soft tubing by means of slotted transducers in which a length of tubing can be inserted during fluid circuit installation. For cartridge embodiments, the PD cycler can employ a moving transducer stage that engages an exposed tube length of the cartridge after passive insertion of the cartridge.

The pumping system may also be sufficiently repeatable in a way that allows precise ratios to be established without calibration, depending on the predefined tolerances chosen by the system designer. If the manufacturing tolerances, including materials, are sufficiently controlled, a desired level of control over ratios may be achieved without in situ (point of care) calibration. A particularly sensitive component in terms of guaranteeing repeatability is the pumping tube segment of a peristaltic pump. In a first embodiment, the peristaltic pump tube segment is made from a material whose mechanical and material tolerances are controlled within predefined limits. The lengths of the tubing circuit elements and mechanical parameters are also controlled within respective predefined limits. A calibration may then be done outside the treatment context, e.g., in the laboratory, to calculate precise values to convert pump cycles to fluid quantity transferred for a single lot of replaceable fluid circuits. The calibration may be done for multiple lots. The calibration may also be done for each fluid circuit. The calibration may also be done by the treatment system for each fluid circuit. The calibration may also be done for each batch of fluid prepared by the fluid circuit.

Referring to FIG. 6H, subsequent to the preparation of the contents of the batch container 606 as described above, the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 may be configured to drain the patient 611 depending on the patient's prior status. Spent dialysate fluid may be withdrawn by the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 and conveyed through the drain line 618. Then, the contents of the batch container 606 may be conveyed as illustrated in FIG. 6K to the patient. Here the controller 610 has configured the fluid conveyor and circuit switch 616 to flow fluid to a patient 612.

Referring now to FIG. 7A, a fluid circuit embodiment for implementing the embodiment of FIG. 6A includes a disposable fluid circuit 700. The fluid circuit 700 may include pre-attached osmotic agent and electrolyte concentrate containers 760 and 762. Also, the fluid circuit 700 may include pre-attached batch container 764. The contents of the osmotic agent and electrolyte concentrate containers 760 and 762 may be sufficient for multiple cycles and thereby cover a complete automated peritoneal dialysis treatment. The internal volume of the batch container may be sufficient for one cycle or multiple cycles in a single automated peritoneal dialysis treatment.

The fluid circuit 700 is preferably a disposable unit that has a completely sealed internal volume except for a water inlet connection 730 for connection to a source of purified water, a drain connection 713, and a connection for a patient access 717. The connectors 730, 713, and 717 may be sealed with a removable connector cap and the entire disposable fluid circuit 700 sterilized as a unit. The water inlet line 726 may include a sterile barrier 728 in the form of a sterile filter, for example, one with a pore size of 0.2 microns or smaller to filter out contaminants. Effectively, that leaves only the patient access connection 717 and the drain connection 713 as possible entry paths for contaminants. However, the drain line 712 can incorporate a check valve to prevent inflow of fluids therethrough. It is generally a one-way path as well, so this removes all but the patient access connection 717 as a possible route for contaminants to flow into the sealed volume of the fluid circuit 700.

The fluid circuit 700 includes fluid circuit manifold panels 702 and 704 which each distribute flow along their respective lengths effectively allowing flow between any of the connected respective lines. For example, fluid from the osmotic agent line 724 can flow into the manifold 702 and be pumped through a pump line 706, which is configured to mate with a peristaltic pump, into the manifold 704 and then into a selected one or more of the mixing line 715, drain line 714, and/or fill/drain line 716. The fluid circuit manifolds 702 and 704 may include sensor regions (not indicated).

A variety of alternative manifold and/or actuation devices can be used to implement the methods described herein. For example, referring to FIG. 8D, a fluid cartridge 800 has two shell parts 802 and 803 that partially enclose a tubing set with manifold branches 806 (typ.) that stem from manifold parts 812A and 812B. Windows 810, 805 in each shell part 802 and 803 appear in pairs on either side of a branch 806 to permit a linear actuator (solenoid clamp, stepper and screw drive, pinching mechanism like a plier grip, or other kind of mechanism) to access, and selectively clamp, the segment 816 from outside the shell.

The shell housing is assembled as indicated by the dotted arrows into a partial enclosure. Alternatively the tubing parts and manifold may be attached to a single backplane or inserted in a support on a permanent mounting fixture of a PD cycler.

A window, provided by openings 804 and 815, similarly provides access to a pump tubing segment 816 by a peristaltic pump rotor. The pump tubing segment 816 may be flanked, and also be size-matched to connected tubing, by pressure pods 814. Pressure pods for fluid pressure measurement are known in the art and the details are not provided herein.

The manifolds of the foregoing figures can be realized using a variety of structures. For example, fluid circuit part 826 uses Y-junctions 828 and connecting segments 827 to interconnect tubing branches 828. This structure may be used in place of manifold part 812B, for example, and a variation for manifold part 812A.

The completed device 800 may form a fluid cartridge that can inserted in a cycler housing like a slice of bread in toaster or may be attached to the actuators in other ways.

Actuator regions 732A-732H allow the selective closing of connections to a respective line such as drain line 716. This allows any of the lines connected to manifold 702 to be connected to a line of manifold 704 through the pumping line 706 by closing all the other lines except the selected lines. In manifold 704, actuator region 732A controls access to patient access line 716. Actuator region 732B controls access to drain line 714. Actuator region 732C controls access to mixing line 715. In manifold 702, actuator region 732D controls access to batch fill line 718. Actuator region 732E controls access to drain line 718. Actuator region 732F controls access to electrolyte fill line 722. Actuator region 732G controls access to osmotic agent fill line 724. Actuator region 732H controls access to the water fill line 726.

The patient access line may include a pressure sensor 735 such as a pressure pod as described above with an air line 734 and a connector 736 for connection to a pressure transducer on a peritoneal dialysis cycler or, alternatively, to a sensor region on the fluid circuit manifold.

Referring now to FIG. 7B, a combined fluid preparation apparatus and PD cycler 788 is combined with a water purifier 790 forming a PD system 701. A disposable fluid circuit unit 758 conforms to the general description of the embodiment 700 of FIG. 7A. An automated peritoneal dialysis cycler 788 has a control panel 776 and is configured to use the disposable fluid circuit 758. Various actuators and sensors (e.g., pressure transducers, temperature sensors, optical leak detectors, etc.) are generally indicated at 772. A hatch 773 may be closed over the disposable unit cassette 758 to bring the components thereof into engagement with the various actuators and sensors 772.

The disposable fluid circuit unit 758 has a cassette portion 766 that incorporates manifolds 762 and 764 (corresponding respectively to manifolds 702 and 704 of FIG. 7A). The manifolds 762 and 764 are attached to each other but have internal flow areas that are not in fluid communication (isolated from each other) so that only a pump line 768 allows fluid communication between the manifolds 762 and 764. The other elements of the fluid circuit 758 are as described with reference to FIG. 7A. The automated peritoneal dialysis cycler 788 is shown set atop a water purifier 790. The automated peritoneal dialysis cycler 788 may include a tray 780 for supporting the batch container 764 and/or a scale 778 for measuring its weight. A support 782 supports the osmotic agent and electrolyte containers 760 and 762, respectively.

A registration area 770 (for example a recess area) of the automated peritoneal dialysis cycler 788 has a peristaltic pump actuator 774. The registration area receives the cassette portion 766 of the disposable fluid circuit unit 758 as shown in FIG. 7C so that the pump line 768 engages the peristaltic pump actuator 774 and the sensor and actuator areas of the cassette engage the corresponding sensors and actuators 772 of the automated peritoneal dialysis cycler 788.

Referring now to FIGS. 8A and 9, schematic diagrams of a peritoneal dialysis system 900 and water purification system 901 are shown which operate together as a complete system as described in the present specification. The peritoneal dialysis system 900 includes a fluid management set 900A. The fluid management set 900A is coupled to a fluid circuit of the water purification system 901 which contains a permanent module 952 and consumable components including filter media and tubing sets 901A. The peritoneal dialysis system 900 includes a PD cycler and dialysate preparation module 949 which contains controls and much of the permanent hardware; the water purification system may be interconnected to share controls so that a single user interface panel 906 may be used to control both for administration of treatment.

The PD cycler and dialysate preparation module 949 has a controller 907 with a user interface panel 906. The user interface panel has controls 906A, 906B, 906C and a display 906D. The controls and other features of the user interface panel 906 may include an audio output device, LED lamps, touchscreen input, and other devices that may be employed for interacting with digital electronic control systems. Preferably the user interface panel 906 controls 906A, 906B, 906C are a small set of clearly differentiated controls that are color coded and shape-differentiated.

The fluid management set 900A includes disposable batch, electrolyte, and osmotic agent concentrate containers 908, 910, and 912; for example, bags that are connected to respective dialysis solution, electrolyte, and osmotic agent draw lines 916, 915, 914. The batch container 908 is preferably an empty presterilized flexible container that is delivered empty of air or fluid and permanently attached to the dialysis solution draw line and a batch fill line 917, the batch fill line 917 being used to add fluid to the bag and the dialysis solution draw line 916 being used to draw contents from the bag. Electrolyte and osmotic agent concentrate containers 910 and 912 store, respectively, electrolyte and osmotic agent concentrate and are also permanently attached to osmotic agent and electrolyte draw lines 914 and 915. The containers and lines are preattached and provided in a sterile condition. The batch container 908 is eventually filled with a mix of sterile water, osmotic agent and electrolytes to form a dialysis solution prescription. The batch container 908 has two lines while the other containers have a single line. The osmotic agent and electrolyte containers 912 and 910 may be fitted with non-reopening clamps 953.

The batch container 908 may be configured to accommodate sufficient dialysis solution for a single peritoneal dialysis fill cycle or it may be large enough for multiple fill cycles. Thus a preparation cycle may generate enough dialysate for a complete treatment (for example a nocturnal treatment cycle including multiple drain-fill cycles).

The batch, electrolyte concentrate, and osmotic agent concentrate containers 908, 910, and 912 may rest on a heater and/or scale 902 indicated by dashed lines. Temperature sensors 904 and 905 may be provided on the surface of the heater and/or scale 902 to provide temperature signals to the controller 907, which controls the heater and/or scale 902. The controller may be configured to warm the dialysate in the batch container 908, which rests directly on the heater and/or scale 902. The temperature sensors 904 and 905 may be positioned to ensure the batch container 908 rests directly on the temperature sensors 904 and 905. The combination of free convection in the large batch container 908 (multiple liters), thin wall of the batch container 908, and the compliance of the wall help to ensure a reading of the temperature sensors 904 and 905 that reflects the temperature of the contents of the batch container 908. Note while the temperature sensors 904 and 905 are shown positioned remote from the batch, electrolyte, and osmotic agent containers 908, 910, 912, it is intended that they be located immediately adjacent to the batch container 908.

The draw lines 914, 915, and 916 and the fill line 917 connect to a manifold module 911 with two valve headers 941 and 946, separated by a barrier section 842, and interconnected by a pump tubing segment 944. The flow between the valve headers 941 and 946 occurs only through the pump segment 944 or through an external connection between the lines linked to it, such as by flowing through the batch container 908 via the valve headers 941 and 946 draw and fill lines 916 and 917. The manifold module 911 in combination with a peristaltic pump actuator 943 and valve actuators 929, 930, 928, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 935 provides and regulates the flow of fluid between selected pairs of the tubing lines 914, 915, and 916, the fill line 917, drain lines 920A and 920B, product water line 919 and a patient line 945. The manifold module 911 also has sensor regions 936 and respective pressure transducers 924 and 925 to generate pressure signals reflecting pressure on either side of the pump tubing segment 944.

The manifold module 911 also has chambers 913A and 913B and respective pressure transducers 926 and 927 to generate pressure signals reflecting pressure on proximal and distal ends of the patient line 945. The pressure chamber 913B is connected to a pneumatic signal line 909 which is in turn connected to a pressure pod 951 configured to transmit the pressure in the patient line 945 distal end through the pneumatic signal line 909 to the chamber 913B. Chamber 913A is in communication with the end of the patient line 945 that is closest to it and conveys the pressure to the transducer 926 to generate a signal representing the pressure at the proximal end of the patient line 945. The controller 907 is connected to control the peristaltic pump actuator 943 and valve actuators 929, 930, 928, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 935 and receive pressure signals from the pressure transducers 924 through 927. The manifold module 911 may be pressed against the valve actuators 929, 930, 928, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 935 by means of a door 973 which may have a hinge and latch as shown in the figures. [NOTE: see background materials for updated thoughts re: how this will actually be configured . . . ]

An alternative embodiment has a direct pressure-to-electrical transducer in place of the pressure pod 951, which obviates the need in such embodiment for chamber 913B. A direct pressure-to-electrical transducer may take the form of an immersible strain gauge which is bulk-mode deformable so as to provide negative and positive pressure values or either one as required. An electrical lead or wireless channel may convey a pressure signal to the controller 907. Such a transducer may be integrated into a connector for the patient access. Alternatively, the direct pressure-to-electrical transducer may be a pressure catheter, such as one integrated with the peritoneal catheter, as described elsewhere in the present document.

The manifold module 911 has respective box shaped valve headers 941 and 946. Each header has a plurality of valve structures that is actuated by a respective one of the valve actuators 929, 930, 928, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 935. The valve actuators 929, 930, 928, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 935 may be solenoid hammers, linear motors, pneumatic hammers or any suitable device for applying a force to press on a respective one of the header valves (one of the valves being indicated at 140). Referring to FIGS. 8B and 8C, a valve 140 is shown in an open position (FIG. 8B) and a closed position (FIG. 8C). The plunger 136 of an actuator (such as 929) moves vertically to exert a force on a membrane 134 to close it over an opening 132. A tube 131 is attached by bonding to the header wall 135 using a conforming port 133 to allow the tube 131 to be received and sealed to the header wall 135. The tube 131 is sealed to the header wall 135 preventing flow between a lumen of the tube when the membrane is closed over the opening 132. An interior volume 130 of the valve header 941 or 946 is thereby only accessible selectively by operating the actuator to drive the plunger 13 accordingly. By selecting a pair of actuators to open, flow can occur through the interior volume of the valve header between the lumens of two tubes corresponding to the pair of actuators that are activated to open. The actuators can be normally closed by a spring (or other means) and only opened when the actuator is energized. Alternatively they can be normally open.

The product water line 919 connects to a water purification system (line continues to a line labeled with the same joining symbol A in FIG. 9). The drain line 920 connects to the water purification system (the line continues to a line labeled with the same joining symbol B in FIG. 9. A control line connection (which may be wired or wireless) indicated by connection symbol C may be provided to connect an internal central controller 959 to the controller 906 to permit commands from the controller 906 to be used for controlling the water purification system 901. Note that alternatively, instead of a controller 959, a data bus or equivalent communication network such as a wiring harness or wireless piconet (not shown) may give direct access to all sensors and final controllers and actuators of the water purification system 901 to the controller 906 so that the water purification system is simply a component of the peritoneal dialysis system 900. In other embodiments, the water purification system is operable as a stand-alone device and includes its own user interface and control to supply product water for other functions such as hemodialysis. In embodiments, the functions of user interface 906 may be incorporated or included in wireless input devices such as a scale 955 or a portable user interface module 956.

A sterile filter 939 is provided to sterile-filter product water provided in product water line 919. During, prior to, or after preparation of a batch of dialysis solution, the filter may be tested for leaks by performing a bubble point or pressure decay test. A delta-pressure transducer (two pressure sensors separated by the membrane) or a single pressure transducer on the air side of a wetted membrane may be used. In the present embodiment, a transducer at 919 measures the pressure in an air chamber 948 which is in communication with an air side of a wetted membrane of the sterile filter 939. The pressure transducer 919 is used to detect pressure decay (or in other embodiments, a transmembrane pressure TMP decay profile) to determine if the filter integrity is within expected limits. In the present embodiment, an air pump 917 draws air through a filter 921 and selectively pumps it through a control valve 923 and a pressure sensor. The pump 917 may run continuously using a pressure regulated valve 918 to maintain a desired pressure supply to the valve 923 and the valve 922 which may be opened selectively to deliver air into chamber 913B and/or 948. The purpose of flowing air into chamber 948 is to perform a bubble or pressure decay test which is done after making a batch of dialysis solution and to confirm that the filter integrity was maintained during transfer of product water. The flowing of air into chamber 948 is done for the purpose of resetting the volume of the air-side chamber of the pressure pod 951. Air may be selectively leaked from and pumped into the pressure pod to avoid the diaphragm being pinned against one side or the other of its range of travel thereby preventing false readings. So to summarize, valves 918, 923, and 922 are controlled by controller 907 to regulate pressure (by bypassing flow), and selectively allow air to flow to chambers 913B and/or 945 for the described functions.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 9, the water purification system 901 purifies water through a first stage that employs a coarse particulate and/or sediment trap 994. A second stage employs a carbon filter. A third stage uses an ultraviolet lamp to decontaminate water. A fourth stage employs reverse osmosis. A fifth stage uses a carbon polishing filter which is followed by a sixth stage of deionization filtration. A seventh and final stage is a sterilization stage employing a pair of ultrafilters connected in series, which prevents grow-through contamination of the final product water.

A permanent filtration subsystem 952 contains a pump, 990 the ultraviolet lamp 982, sensor modules 984 and 985, automatic shutoff valve 988 for the reverse osmosis system, pressure sensors 992, 981, 953, 989 and valves 991 and 993.

Drain fluid from drain line 920 passes through a connector 978 and into a pair of sensor modules 984 and 985 which detect and measure conductivity and temperature, respectively. The sensor modules 984 and 985 provide redundancy as a protection against an error in one of the modules. Safety may be ensured, for example, by enforcing a requirement that the serially interconnected sensor modules 984 and 985 provide signals that are always in agreement and in the event of a disagreement, depending on the operating state, an alarm may be generated or some other action taken. A urea sensor 953 may be used to generate a signal indicating level of urea. The drain line in some modes carries spent dialysate and urea content can be recorded or otherwise used to ensure correct treatment of renal dialysis patients according to known principles. The urea level may be displayed on the display 906D or recorded in a data store of the controller 907 or stored also or alternatively on an Internet server or other external data store (not shown). Check valves 987 at various locations prevent backflow. One check valve 987 in the drain line may be used to prevent backflow into the peritoneal dialysis system 900. Another check valve 987 prevents draining fluid backflowing into reverse osmosis filters 975 and another prevents prefiltered water flowing from the reverse osmosis filters 975 from flowing in reverse. Another check valve 987 prevents primary water entering the system upstream of the particle filter 994 from flowing in reverse.

In addition to the sensor modules 984 and 985, or alternatively, a fluid quantity measurement module may be provided. Primary water enters the water purification system 901 through a connector 978 and check valve 987 and into a particle filter 994. Filtered water passes through a pressure control valve 996, through air vent 999 to a connector 978 connecting it to the permanent filtration subsystem 952. A speed regulated pump 990 draws water through a valve 993. Pressures, upstream and downstream of the pump 990, are measured by sensors 992 and 989 respectively. A bypass valve 991 allows water to be recirculated to control pressure. The bypass valve 991 is controlled by the controller 955 to regulate pressure exiting the pump 990.

An automatic shutoff valve 988 feeds water to the carbon and RO subsystem 997 with respective waste water connection, product water connection and feed water connections 978. Feed water passes through a conductivity sensor 977, which applies a conductivity signal to the controller 955, and then through an activated carbon filter bed.

After passing through RO membranes 975, product water flows through check valve 987 through a line 957 to a pressure sensor 981, through the automatic shutoff valve 988 to an ultraviolet filter after which product water leaves the permanent filtration subsystem 952 through a connector 978. The connector 978 receiving product water from the permanent filtration subsystem 952 is a part of a disposable filter module 970 containing carbon 963, segregated bed deionization filters 959 (each with a cation bed 965 and an anion bed 964) and a mixed bed deionization filter 966. The disposable filter module 970 also contains a pair of separated ultrafilters 958 with air vents 956. Conductivity sensor 968A detects early breakthrough of contaminants which may be used by the controller 955 to generate an indication that the filter module 970 needs to be changed. The indication of expiration of the filter module 970 may be output via the user interface panel 906 or an independent one (not shown). The ultrafilters 958 are separated to sterilize and prevent grow-through contamination. A check valve 969 prevents back flow. A fuse 960 is blown when the filter module 970 is first connected. The controller 955 prevents the reconnection of filter modules 970 with blown fuses, thereby preventing reuse of previously used filter modules 970. A wetness sensor 938 is connected to the controller 955 and generates a signal, applied to the controller 955, when a leak wets it.

FIG. 10 shows the peritoneal dialysis system 900 reconfigured as a peritoneal dialysis system that uses prepared dialysate in presterilized containers 1002. Unlike the system 900, the present system does not require water purification system 901 in order to work. Fresh dialysis solution bags 1002 are connected to a tubing set 1000 which is configured to allow the PD cycler and dialysis solution preparation module 949 to be used with prepared bagged dialysate. The PD cycler and dialysis solution preparation module 949 will not be described again except to note that the functions of the actuators 929, 930, 928, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 935 are in some instances reassigned by the command signals of the controller 907.

As may be seen, lines 1010, 1011, 1012, and 1013 connect the dialysis solution bags 1002 to the manifold module 911. At least one of the dialysis solution bags 1002 is attached to a different one of the two valve headers 941 and 946 to allow transfer of dialysis solution between bags, which in turn may allow priming of the tubing set 1000 and other functions. Also note that line 1010 is coupled to the line 945 to allow fluid from either of valve headers 941 and 946 to be pumped into the patient line 945. The functions enabled by this configuration include, for example, to allow fluid to be conveyed to one of the dialysis solution bags 1002 indicated at 1020 which may be rested on the heater 903, from any of the other bags 1002. Then, once bag 1020 is emptied, fluid can be transferred from one of the other bags 1002 to fill it and the bag 1020 heated prior to infusion. Inspection of the tubing set 1000 and valve headers 941 and 946 make it clear that these functions are enabled simply by appropriate sequencing of the 929, 930, 928, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 935. Each of the dialysis solution bags 1002 is provided with a non-reopenable clamp 1005, a needle free port 1007, and mating connectors 1006 and 1007 on the bag 1002 and tubing set 1000.

FIG. 11 shows an overview of a method for preparing any of the foregoing peritoneal dialysis systems. The left side of the flow chart of FIG. 11 shows a method for systems using bagged dialysis fluids and the right side for ones that prepare dialysis fluids such as system 900. First new bags are hung S10 (in the embodiment 902, one of the bags is placed on a heater). Then a cartridge or tubing set is loaded on the cycler S12. In bagged fluid systems, the new bags are connected to the tubing set or cartridge S14 and the drain and patient lines connected S16. The bag 1020 on the heater is used for the first cycle and may be pre-filled. In an alternative embodiment the bag on the heater is initially empty and forms a preattached part of the fluid circuit 1000. Later after the first cycle, the bag on the heater may be empty and this bag may be filled from one or more of the other bags 1002. Whether filled or not, the bag on the heater 1020 is used for priming S17 by flowing dialysis solution through the fluid circuit and the patient lines S19. Fluid may be directed through the drain during priming and for testing the conductivity as discussed above.

At S18, a self-testing procedure may be performed, for example, to do a pump calibration, check pressure ranges, perform bubble point or pressure decay tests on the sterile filter membrane, etc. The patient access is then connected to the patient line and a drain cycle S22 followed by a fill cycle S24 performed. The drain and fill cycles may be repeated until a treatment completed check S26 indicates that a complete set of drain and fill cycles has been performed. Remaining fluid in the bags 1002 may be drained S28 and the access, bags, and fluid sets may be disconnected and disposed of S30 and S32.

Still referring to FIG. 11, a method for the peritoneal system 900 can prepare each batch of dialysate. In the method, the fluid management set 900A is loaded on the system including placing the disposable batch, electrolyte, and osmotic agent concentrate containers 908, 910, and 912 on the heater and/or scale 902 S40. The remainder of the fluid management set 900A including the manifold module 911 is loaded and the door 973 closed to clamp the manifold module 911 against the valve actuators 929, 930, 928, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 935. Alternatively, any other suitable fluid circuit, such as the examples of FIGS. 8D and 8E and variants thereof, may be loaded. At S16, the patient and drain lines are connected and at S46, S48, the fluid circuit 900A is primed and flushed if required. The disposable batch, electrolyte, and osmotic agent concentrate containers 908, 910, and 912 connecting lines are primed S50 and the batch preparation and filter test performed S52. The patient lines are primed S19 and the patient access connected S20. The drain and fill cycles may be repeated until a treatment completed check S26 indicates completed set of drain and fill cycles have been performed. The disposable batch, electrolyte, and osmotic agent concentrate containers 908, 910, and 912 are emptied S58 and disconnected S60 and the drain disconnected at S32.

FIG. 12 shows details of the process within S50 of FIG. 11 in which the disposable batch, electrolyte, and osmotic agent concentrate containers 908, 910, and 912 connecting lines are primed. At S50B, the osmotic agent line 914 is filled and drained through the conductivity cell until the conductivity cell shows the presence of fluid at which point S50A, the same is done at S50D for the electrolyte line 913 until electrolyte is detected by the conductivity sensor at S 50C. Recall that conductivity sensors 984 and 985 may be used for this purpose by detecting fluid properties in the drain line connected to water purification system 901. Next S50F pure product water flushes out any concentrate fluid priming the drain line and, primes the product water line 919 until the lapse of a time interval S50G and the conductivity of the product water is confirmed. The batch fill line 919 is then primed and the batch container 908 filled with 200 ml water or more S50G. Water is drained out of the batch container 908 through the batch container draw line 916 until 100 ml has been removed S50J. In an embodiment, a vacuum may be applied in the batch container 908 at this point to optimize repeatability in fluid draw cycles.

FIG. 13 shows details of the process within S52 of FIG. 11 in which a batch of dialysate is prepared by the peritoneal dialysis system 900 or similar system. At S52B the batch container 908 is filled with product water until 1500 ml are displaced, which is detected at S52A. The quantity is an example only and may vary in different embodiments. Osmotic agent concentrate is then 52D drawn and pumped into the batch container 908 until the total mixed volume of the batch container is 1550 ml 52C. The fill state of the batch container may be confirmed volumetrically or gravimetrically or any other suitable means. As discussed above, in other embodiments, or the present embodiment, the ratios of fluids are what is primarily important in terms of forming a target prescription and the ratiometric proportioning of the present system, as described elsewhere, ensures the electrolyte and osmotic agent ratios and dilution rates are achieved, in addition to, or as an alternative to control or confirmation by detection. Next at S52F electrolyte concentrate is drawn and pumped into the batch container 908 until the total mixed volume of the batch container is 1650 ml 52E. As described above, optionally a mixing step followed by testing of the conductivity may be performed at this point. The batch container 908 contents may be mixed by drawing and filling through lines 916 and 917 for a period of time S52J or over a predefined number of pump cycles. The mixing may occur multiple times with a rest interval between mixing cycles. This may be followed by additional supplementation of electrolyte to achieve the desired prescription. The remaining product water is pumped into the batch container 908 S52H until at S52G the fill quantity is achieved. At each of S52C, 52E, and 52G the conductivity of the contents of the batch container 908 may be checked, for example, by automatically draining a small sample through the drain of the water purification system 901. Then the batch container 908 contents are mixed by drawing and filling through lines 916 and 917 for a period of time S52J or over a predefined number of pump cycles. The mixing may occur multiple times with a rest interval between mixing cycles. Conductivity is confirmed and the procedure ends (S52 End) or if the conductivity test fails (dialysate conductivity not achieved) an alarm is output S52L. Lastly, the sterile filter integrity is tested with a bubble point or pressure decay test by pumping air through the membrane S61.

FIG. 14 shows details of the process within S61 of FIG. 11. At S61B valve 923 is opened, 918 closed, and air pressure increased as registered by pressure sensor 919 until, at S61A, pressure reaches a predetermined pressure (e.g., 45 psi) then the air pump is turned off and the valve 923 closed. At S61D, pressure is monitored (and may be profiled to generate a decay curve) as indicated by pressure sensor 919 for an interval of time, for example 3 minutes S61C. If the pressure falls below a threshold (e.g., 40 psi) an alarm is output S61F and if not (S61C) the valves 918 and 923 are opened until at S61E the pressure at 919 is detected to be below a threshold, for example 10 mm Hg.

FIG. 15 shows the process details of S19 of FIG. 11. FIG. 16 shows details of S58 of FIG. 11.

FIGS. 17A-17H, 17J-17N, and 17P-17T illustrate the method and basic structure of the peritoneal dialysis system according to the foregoing system embodiments. A batch container 202 has a batch container fill line 222 and batch container draw line 224. An osmotic agent concentrate container 204 has an osmotic agent concentrate draw line 220. An electrolyte concentrate container 206 has an electrolyte concentrate draw line 218. A purified water source 216 such as a water purification plant has a purified water supply line 223 which feeds water to a sterile filter 210 connected by a sterile water supply line 226 connecting the sterile filter 210 to a manifold/pumping arrangement 208. A primary drain 228 sends waste and priming fluid to a conductivity sensor 212 and out through a final drain line 230. A patient line 234 is connected to the manifold/pumping arrangement 208.

The following description applies to a generic PD system and the elements can be configured according to any of a variety of design and technology approaches. For example, the manifold/pumping arrangement 208 may pump fluid using a diaphragm arrangement or a centrifugal pump and incorporate flow control of any of a variety of sorts including permanent valves, flow switches, line clamps etc. The containers batch container 202, osmotic agent concentrate container 204, and electrolyte concentrate container 206 may be rigid or bag type containers and may be disposable or permanent with a sterilization plant provided therewith. In any of the embodiments described herein, for example, pump/flow selector 1110, and others, the pumping and flow switching portion may be replaced by a permanent device with connectors for disposable containers such as (as described with reference to FIG. 23A) the batch container (1112) and the sources 1102-1108, and patient line 1153. The drain line and condo cell may be permanent as well. The pump/flow select device may incorporate a sterilization unit and be configured to self-sterilize automatically.

In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, instead of a water purification plant being used as a source of sterile water, bags of sterile water may be used. This may be advantageous where the provision of a water source is difficult or delivery of purified water is easier, and permits the use of the same type of disposable concentrate unit and other components as described herein. In addition, a patient may store containers of water for travel. The long term storage of water may be safer or otherwise desirable than the long term storage of prepared dialysate. Also, rather than using prepared dilute dialysate for storage, which has a permanent relative concentration of component constituents (the prescription), the use of water from containers for travel permits the prescription to be established at the time of treatment irrespective of when the water was delivered or used. Bagged water may be preferred because it has a longer shelf life and is not susceptible to precipitation as are some forms of prepared dialysate. The system as described with inline sterile filters may also provide final sterilization of the water so that pure, but not necessarily sterile, water is provided and used. In embodiments, preferably, the water in containers is sterile.

Referring to FIG. 7D, a PD cycler/fluid preparation component 791 attaches to a disposable 792 that includes concentrate and other components as described herein. One or more water containers 793 are connected to the PD cycler/fluid preparation component 791. The disposable 792 includes a prepared dialysate batch container which is filled with prepare dialysate according to prescription as described herein with respect to any of the other embodiments. The disposable 792 may include a patient line and a drain line. The water container may be provided in bags as currently used for prepared dialysate.

In embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, pure water in containers, such as bags, and a concentrate disposable as described in connection with any of the embodiments are delivered to a treatment location such as a home. The stored water containers and disposable are attached to a fluid preparation system and used to prepare dialysate for treatment as described in connection with any of the disclosed embodiments. The connection for water is the same as for a water purification plant in the other disclosed embodiments. The operation of the dialysate preparation system is essentially the same as described in connection with the various embodiments.

In embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, pure water in containers, such as bags, and a concentrate disposable as described in connection with any of the embodiments are delivered to a storage location such as a home. The stored water containers, concentrate disposable, and fluid preparation device and cycler travel with the patient on a trip. At treatment locations, such as a hotel room, the water containers and disposable are attached to a fluid preparation system and used to prepare dialysate for treatment as described in connection with any of the disclosed embodiments. The connection for water is the same as for a water purification plant in the other disclosed embodiments. The operation of the dialysate preparation system is essentially the same as described in connection with the various embodiments.

FIG. 17A shows the initial priming of the osmotic agent concentrate draw line 220, manifold/pumping arrangement 208 via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212 as described above. The manifold/pumping arrangement 208 is configured to provide the flow shown and a controller is provided to change over to the next configuration. In FIG. 17B the manifold/pumping arrangement 208 is configured to flow electrolyte concentrate from electrolyte concentrate container 206 priming electrolyte concentrate from the draw line 218 via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212. In FIG. 17C, water is moved by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 from the purified water source 216 through purified water supply line 223, through sterile filter 210, through 226, and out of manifold/pumping arrangement 208 via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212, thereby flushing concentrate from the manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230. At each stage, conductivity is measured by conductivity sensor 212 and compared to a reference range. If the value is outside the reference range, the production is halted and an error message is generated.

FIG. 17D shows the initial filling of the batch container 202. Purified water is pumped by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 through purified water supply line 223, sterile filter 210, and sterile water supply line 226 into batch container 202 until a predefined small volume is transferred (for example 200 ml). Osmotic agent concentrate draw line 220 and electrolyte concentrate draw line 218 remain primed as shown by the fill pattern. Next, in FIG. 17E, some of the contents (e.g. 100 ml) of the batch container 202 are drained by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 out via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212 and the conductivity determined and subsequent control processing continues (halts and alarms) depending on the result. In FIG. 17E, the manifold/pumping arrangement 208 is configured to partly fill the manifold/pumping arrangement 208 by drawing water from the purified water source 216 through sterile filter 210 and sterile water supply line 226 and finally into the batch container 202 via batch container fill line 222. The batch container draw line 224, osmotic agent concentrate draw line 220, and electrolyte concentrate draw line 218 remain primed as do the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230.

In FIG. 17G, a sample from the batch container 202 is drawn by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and drained via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212. Again, the fluid properties are verified by the conductivity sensor 212 and passed or alarmed. In FIG. 17H, osmotic agent is drawn from osmotic agent concentrate container 204 via an osmotic agent concentrate draw line 220 by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and pumped into batch container 202 through batch container fill line 222. In FIG. 17J, a sample from the batch container 202 is drawn by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and drained via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212. Again the fluid properties are verified by the conductivity sensor 212 and passed or alarmed.

In FIG. 17K, electrolyte is drawn from electrolyte concentrate container 206 via electrolyte concentrate draw line 218 by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and transferred to batch container 202 via batch container fill line 222. In FIG. 17L, a sample from the batch container 202 is drawn by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and drained via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212. Again the fluid properties are verified by the conductivity sensor 212 and passed or alarmed. In FIG. 17M, purified water is drawn by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 through purified water supply line 223, sterile filter 210, and 226 and transferred to batch container 202 via batch container fill line 222. In FIG. 17N, a sample from the batch container 202 is drawn by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and drained via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212. Again the fluid properties are verified by the conductivity sensor 212 and passed or alarmed.

FIG. 17P shows a fluid mixing configuration in which the manifold/pumping arrangement 208 is configured to circulate fluid through batch container 202 via the batch container fill line 222 and batch container draw line 224. This is done for a predefined period of time, predicted number of fluid cycles or number of pump cycles. In FIG. 17Q, a sample of the final dialysate product from the batch container 202 is drawn by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and drained via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212. Again, the fluid properties are verified by the conductivity sensor 212 and passed or alarmed. If the fluid formulation needs to be adjusted, a small amount of osmotic agent concentrate or electrolyte concentrate or diluting water can be added and the test repeated until the desired formulation is reached.

FIG. 17R shows fluid drawn by manifold/pumping arrangement 208 through batch container draw line 224 and out the patient line 234 to prime the latter. In FIG. 17S the access for the patient 214 has been connected to the patient line 234 and a drain operation is performed in which spent dialysate is drawn from the patient 214 through the patient line 234 by the manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and passed out through via the primary drain 228 and final drain line 230 through the conductivity sensor 212. Detected conductivity and pressure change can be used to diagnose problems such as the permeability of the peritoneal membrane, infection, etc. as discussed above. FIG. 17T shows a patient fill cycle where fluid is drawn from the batch container 202 by the manifold/pumping arrangement 208 and pumped into the patient line 234 and into the patient 214.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 17A-17H, 17J-17N, and 17P-17T, the manifold/pumping arrangement 208 may include a controller, user interface, valves, one or more pumps, sensors, flowrate sensors, volumetric displacement sensors, and/or other components to achieve the stated functions.

In any of the foregoing embodiments, the osmotic agent concentrate may include a predefined portion of electrolyte concentrate permitting the quantity or concentration of osmotic agent to be determined by measuring the electrolyte concentration using a conductivity cell. The final electrolyte concentration is achieved by proportioning the electrolyte concentrate based on the known amount delivered with the osmotic agent concentrate.

FIG. 18 illustrates a control system according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. A controller 830 may receive sensor signals from any points in a PD system 838 including conductivity, temperature, and flow rate. The controller may apply actuator control signals to regulate the speed of pump or an equivalent flow rate regulator such as a fixed rate pump with a variable recirculation bypass line or variable inline resistance such as a flow regulator valve. Fluid provided from the PD system 838 is transferred at a regulated rate to a peritoneal line 842, which may include a single line used for outgoing and return fluids or a pair of lines, each used respectively for outgoing and return fluids. A pressure sensor 834 generates signals indicating the pressure at a distal point in an outgoing peritoneal line or a peritoneal line that transfers fluids in both directions. An additional pressure sensor may be used for outgoing and return lines, respectively. A data store 836 may store one or more treatment profiles specific to a disposable unit that includes a fluid circuit (which may vary according to characteristics of the fluid circuit), specific to a particular patient or class of patients, or other requirement.

Pressure profile data stored on data store 836 may be obtained from a data store 841 attached to the disposable unit or may be downloaded from a server based on identifying information on such a data store 841. Alternatively pressure profile data may be stored on the 836 periodically and specific data to be used for a treatment selected from a user interface of the controller during treatment, for example data for a particular patient identified through the user interface and whose profile data is obtained from a repository of patient-specific treatment data. The pressure profile data may include a single pressure value representing a maximum pressure at the point of the pressure sensor 834 indicating a maximum pressure and serving as a limit on the pumping rate by pump 840 as controlled by the controller 830 as described according to any of the foregoing embodiments. The pressure profile data may include multiple pressure values representing respective phases of a peritoneal dialysis fill cycle. For example, the pressure values may correlate volume and pressure or number of pump rotations and pressure thus defining a profile. In example, the rate may be ramped progressively up toward a maximum and then slowed gradually to balance the desires of speedy throughput and patient comfort.

FIG. 19 shows a fluid path and actuator layout according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. The present embodiment shows variations on the embodiments described above. For example, separate fill 861 and drain 862 lines are connected to the patient (a single lumen or dual lumen peritoneal catheter). A sterile filter 860 is provided in the fill line. One or more flow sensors may be provided, for example as shown at 854 and/or 855, which may be used for error condition detection or for implementing a calibration procedure to derive the conversion of pump cycles to net displaced mass or volume respective of each flow path, as described above. Respective valves G1, P1, P1, P2, S1, S1, W1, and E1 control the flow of fluids in the circuit. A pump 858 moves fluid in the circuit. The following table shown an embodiment of an operational procedure for the embodiments covered by FIG. 19. Any of these features may be combined in any of the foregoing embodiments to form additional embodiments. For example, the one or more flow sensors may be provided in the embodiments of FIGS. 6A to 6K or 7A to 10, or 17A-17H, 17J-17N, and 17P-17T. The method embodiments may be modified to add the calibration procedure outlined above as well.

Valve State G E W P P D Mode Description Pump Operation 1 1 1 S1 S2 1 2 1 1. Prime Osmotic agent Do until A pump cycles O X X X X X X O 2. Prime Electrolyte Do until A pump cycles X O X X X X X O 3. Prime Water to Drain Do until B pump cycles X X O X X X X O (flush concentrate) 4. Prime Water to SAK Do until C pump cycles X X O O X X X X 5. Prime Mixing Circuit Do until D pump cycles X X X O O X X X 6. Prime SAK to Drain Do until E pump cycles X X X X O X X O (measure flow rate) 7. Prime Patient Line Do until F pump cycles X X X X O X O X (V1) 8. Prime Patient Line Do until G pump cycles X X X X X O X O (V2) 9. Add Osmotic agent to Do until H (calc) O X X O X X X X SAK pump cycles 10. Add Electrolyte to Do until I (calc) X O X O X X X X SAK pump cycles 11. Add Water to SAK Do until J (calc) X X O O X X X X pump cycles 12. Mix Do until K (calc) X X X O O X X X pump cycles 13. Test Sample Do until L pump cycles X X X X O X X O (Temp/Condo/Flow) 14. Rinse Fluid Path Do until O pump cycles X X X X O X X O w/Dialysate 15. Drain Patient Do until N (calc) X X X X X O X O pump cycles OR PRES > Fill_Pres_Limit 16. Fill Patient Do until M (calc) X X X X O X O X pump cycles OR PRES > Drain_Pres_Limit 17. Patient Dwell Do until TIME — — — — — X X — COUNT 18. Empty batch Do until P (calc) X X X X O X X O container pump cycles

In the second column, Pump Operation, the letters A, B, C, etc. refer to predefined values. For example, a peristaltic pump may rotate once for every 2 ml. pumped so the values may correspond to an amount of fluid pumped. The columns labeled Valve State refer to the status of the valve as labeled in FIG. 19, with X referring to a closed condition and O referring to an open condition. The term (calc) in the Pump operation column indicates that the number of pump cycles is adjusted according to a parameter obtained from calibration as discussed above.

Any of the above systems may be modified so that an additional line is provided in the fluid circuit, and valved in the same way as the batch container but which leads to an auxiliary port. At the end of a cycler-assisted treatment cycle, a batch of fresh dialysate may be prepared and dispensed from this auxiliary port for use in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. In this system and method, the patient may end a cycler-assisted treatment, for example, a nocturnal treatment, with a filled peritoneum. After filling the peritoneum, an additional batch of dialysate may be prepared and pumped from the batch container to a secondary container through the auxiliary port. This may then be used for a second cycle of CAPD after draining the spent dialysis with which the peritoneum was filled at the end of the cycler-assisted treatment phase. It should be readily apparent how an additional valve and connector on the treatment/fluid preparation device may be included in, for example, manifold module 911 (FIG. 8A), to allow fluid to be conveyed from the batch container as required for implementation. The controller of the treatment/fluid preparation device may be configured to perform this function automatically at a user's specified option which may be indicated through a user interface selection. Multiple batches for CAPD may also be dispensed in this manner. In addition, the batch container may be large enough for the mixing enough dialysate for one or more CAPD treatment cycles on top of the last batch used for filling the peritoneum after completion of the phase of cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis. In this way, the one of more CAPD batches may be prepared while the patient is still connected to the cycler and undergoing cycler-assisted therapy.

In any of the disclosed and/or claimed method, control, or system embodiments, in which the batch container is emptied, a negative pumping pressure may be applied to the container for a period of time to ensure complete emptying. Also, in any of the disclosed and/or claimed embodiments, the batch container may be positioned on an angled base with its drain opening at a lowest point, also to help in fully emptying the batch container. Other embodiments may be formed by providing a mechanism for jostling or vibrating the batch container and/or the other fluid containers to help ensure fluid is not trapped.

In any of the embodiments, additional embodiments may be formed by means of the following revision. Instead of a batch of dialysate sufficient for performing a single peritoneum fill, the batch containers may be made large enough for two or more fill/drain cycles. In fact, the batch container may be large enough for all the required dialysate for all cycles of, for example, a full nocturnal treatment, at once. This may be done, for example, before or while the patient falls asleep with the advantage that the patient need not be awakened by the noise of fluid preparation.

In any of the foregoing manifold embodiments, the drain line can be split to valves on both sides of the pump tube, as in the embodiments of FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 8A or the patient line can be split to valves on both sides of the pump tube as in FIGS. 10 and 19. When the drain line is split, the pump may need to be reversed in order to fill and drain the patient's peritoneum. By splitting the patient line, the manifold and pump can be constructed and operated so that the pump only needs to run in a single direction in order to provide all of the required functions according to embodiments in which: (1) the water, treatment fluid components, and one batch container outlet are all connected through respective control valves to the pump inlet and the batch inlet and drain are connected through respective control valves to the pump outlet and (2) the patient line is connected to both the pump inlet and outlet through respective control valves. By running the pump in a single direction, the repeatability of the conversion from pump cycles to fluids transferred can be better maintained. In an alternative embodiment, fluid is drained from the patient by a separate pump line. This may be done by a dual lumen peritoneal line or by a single lumen line.

In any of the foregoing embodiments, separate fill and drain lines can be used instead of a single fill/drain line. In embodiments with separate fill and drain lines, a pressure pod may be carried on the fill line alone, the drain line alone, or pressure pods may be provided on both the fill and the drain line. The same is true for other pressure measurement embodiments of peritoneal treatment lines. As will be evident, the pressure measurement capabilities may be used for the detection of spent dialysis fluid properties and for the regulation of filling flow rate and other purposes described herein.

In the present and any of the other embodiments, a sufficient amount of fluid may be drained in order to contact the conductivity sensor to form a reliable reading. For example, an amount in the range of 25 to 100 ml or preferably an amount in the range of 50-70 ml. may be used.

In any of the described embodiments, the osmotic agent may be, or include, glucose, L-carnitine, glycerol, icodextrin, or any other suitable agents. Further, the components combined to make a peritoneal dialysis solution may vary in number and any of the embodiments described could be made from single concentrate components or any other number of concentrate components by straightforward modifications of the embodiments. For example, a buffer (e.g., acetate, bicarb, lactate) may be separate from an electrolyte which may be separate from an osmotic agent.

In any of the disclosed embodiments that employ direct attachment of diluted fluids, for example, the embodiment of FIG. 10, sterile filters may be preinstalled on fluid lines, (e.g., lines 1010, 1011, and 1012) to prevent touch contamination from causing contamination of the fluid that flows to the patient.

In any of the disclosed embodiments, pressure signals at proximal and distal ends of the peritoneal line may be generated while a no-flow, or low-flow, condition exists. This may be controlled to occur at a certain point in preparation for, or during treatment, to generate indications of static hydraulic head in the line. For example, if a patient falls out of bed, and a sudden height difference between the proximal and distal ends arises, a pressure difference may be detected. The detection may trigger an alarm or other output and may instantiate a change in machine status for example a shutdown. Another inference from an out of bounds pressure difference during low or no flow is abnormal set up of the system. In embodiments, the conversion of pump cycles to total transferred flow may be governed by assumed system configuration which may include a certain range of height differences between the proximal and distal ends of the peritoneal line. The following table shows some possible behaviors.

Machine status Detected conditions Response Low or no flow DP outside range A Generate alarm indicating (e.g., dwell) misconfiguration. Fill DP outside range B Generate alarm indicating misconfiguration Fill DP outside range C Adjust flow rate and/or shut down flow. Drain DP outside range D Generate alert message indicating possible infection. Drain DP outside range E Generate alarm indicating misconfiguration Drain DP outside range F Adjust flow rate and/or shut down flow. Any time the Pulse or respiration Indicate status of line is filled detected, or stronger connection is ok. with fluid than threshold G, at Proximal sensor Any time the Pulse or respiration not Indicate connection is line is filled detected or weaker than misconfigured or possibly with fluid threshold G at Proximal misconfigured. sensor and is detected at distal sensor Dwell Pulse or respiration Indicate status of detected, or stronger connection is ok. than threshold H, at Proximal sensor Dwell Pulse or respiration Indicate connection is detected, or weaker than misconfigured or possibly threshold H, at distal misconfigured. sensor Any time line Pulse or respiration Indicate line is misconfigured is filled detected at distal sensor or possibly misconfigured. with fluid and not at proximal sensor Fill Proximal P high, distal P Indicate obstruction between low

In the table above, ranges identified by letter may represent pressure profiles, that is pressure values (upper and lower limits or just upper or just lower limits) that change during a progressive process. For example, pressure range C may ramp up with the number of pump cycles. The range data may be stored in a memory of the controller and/or may be stored on a memory device of the replaceable tubing set and/or may be read from a remote server or derived by any other suitable system. The pressure range data may be respective to a particular tubing set model, treatment type, and/or patient and selection may be automated or made manually through a user interface. The term misconfiguration can refer to kinks, obstructions, leaks, disconnections, or other types of line problems. In the table, anywhere alarm or other output is indicated as an action, this may include, or be in the alternative, instructing the user to take some action to verify the problem or a detailed explanation of what the action might be, for example, if a misconfiguration of the connection is indicated.

In any of the disclosed embodiments, the distal pressure sensor may be located within a peritoneal cycler machine or on the tubing set leading to the patient and close to the machine. The distal pressure sensor may be located near the patient and on the tubing set or within a peritoneal catheter. It may also be separated from the tubing set and positioned within the peritoneum. In such an embodiment, the pressure sensor lines may be attached to the tubing set. For example, metallized surface of the tubing or a co-extrusion (wire insulation and tubing being coextruded) may be attached to the tube at points therealong.

In any of the disclosed embodiments, an osmotic agent, concentrated or dilute, or a peritoneal dialysis solution or concentrate thereof containing glucose or any other precursor of a dialysis solution may contain glucose that has not been treated with heat. In any of these embodiments, the glucose concentrate or solution or dialysis solution or precursor containing glucose may be sterile filtered as it is stored in a sterile container without using heat sterilization at all. This avoids heat sterilization byproducts of glucose that are toxic. In a method embodiment, a sterile package including a bag has an inline sterilizing filter (e.g., 0.1 micron porosity sterilizing filter) at a filling port thereof. The port may be elongate and have a nonreopenable closure on the filling port. Another port, sealed at the time of filling, may be used to access the contents. Before filling, the sealed container is sterilized by gamma sterilization or heat sterilization. Then the glucose solution is pumped into the container through the inline sterile filter and the nonreopenable closure feature is closed. The nonreopenable feature can be just a weldable tube neck which is sealed by thermoplastic welding. Other sealing devices may be used.

Below, and in the claims, flow path selection actuators may include the active parts of automatic valves, for example, the valve actuators disclosed in the foregoing embodiments such as tube clamps, linear drives that close membrane valves (e.g., FIGS. 8B and 8C).

FIG. 20 shows a sequential solution mixing system 1100 that employs repeatable volumetric displacement to provide predicted component ratios of constituent fluids. FIG. 21 shows a method for mixing a solution, such as a medicament, which may be used with any suitable system including the system of FIG. 20 and the foregoing PD dialysate mixing systems described elsewhere in the present specification. The system 1100 has a pump/flow selector device 1110 that connects each of the sources 1102, 1104, 1106, and 1108 to a batch container 1112 and further pumps fluid from each of the sources 1102, 1104, 1106, and 1108 to the batch container consecutively using a pump 1118. Although four sources are shown, there can be any number including fewer or more. These sources can represent containers or inline production plants or any other type of fluid source. The pump/flow selector device 1110 may be configured as described with reference to FIG. 8D or 10, for example, but may be any type of arrangement employing a pump and a flow switching mechanism.

A sterile filter or other type of filter may be used in one or all of the constituent flow paths. In an embodiment, the flow selector/pump 1110 and source fluids 1104, 1106, and 1108 (which may vary in number of components; i.e., more or fewer than illustrated) and the batch container form a single sealed disposable unit whose only point of entry is through a connector to the source 1102. In an embodiment, the source 1102 is a source of diluent, such as water and the other sources are provided in sealed containers as concentrates. As a result of this configuration, the risk of contamination from the source 1102 or from the single connector (not shown but connecting the source 1102 and the filter) used for connecting to the source 1102 to the filter is greatly reduced. In the case of a medical apparatus, the risk of bacterial contamination is reduced using a sterile filter such as a membrane filter with a bacteria-blocking or pyrogen blocking pore size, for example, 0.1 or 0.2 micron.

The pump 1118 is of a type which, once set up, is repeatable, but may not accurate in terms of how much volume is displaced by it for a given mechanical displacement of the pump. For example, if the pump 1118 is of a peristaltic type, the number of rotations will correspond to a fixed volume of fluid being transported thereacross, but this will vary depending on the particular tubing attached to the peristaltic pump. The mechanical properties of the tubing material, variations in wall thickness of the tubing, how the tubing is placed between the pump rotor and race, etc. may affect the volume displaced per rotation of the rotor. These configuration parameters vary when the tubing is replaced as is typical in medical applications where tubing is sterilized and disposable. As a result, the pumping process may be variable between the establishment of one configuration and the next. For example a first configuration may be established when a particular tubing set is installed and then a second configuration established when another tubing set is installed. Configurations that may affect the relationship between the controlled output (displaced volume) and the regulated input (cycles of the pump) may include one or more of:

1. Replacement of components;

2. An idle time between successive mixing operations;

3. Cleansing or sterilization of the components;

4. Temperature of the components or change in temperature;

5. Lapse of a period of time of continuous or discontinuous use; and/or

6. Change in fluids being pumped.

Despite the variability that can attend configuration changes, the pumping rate may be consistent, within a single configuration, such that if a first fluid is pumped, followed by a second fluid, the quantity of each fluid may be proportional to the number of cycles of the pump. For a peristaltic pump, each cycle corresponds to a rotation of the rotor. For a centrifugal pump it may correspond to a time interval at a predetermined speed. For a magnetohydrodynamic pump, it may correspond to power level over the pumping interval. In an exemplary embodiment, the peristaltic pump has been determined to exhibit repeatable volume displacement to pump rotor displacement within a single configuration.

As discussed above, mixing target ratios of components to form a batch of fluid need not rely on knowledge of actual flow rate, as long as target ratios can be established in the mixture. Thus, calibration is not required for mixing to target concentration ratios. However, as in embodiments herein, the combining and mixing device also functions as a peritoneal cycler. It is desirable to be able to convey predefined quantities of fluid into a patient for treatment purposes and to measure the amount of fluid withdrawn for purposes of measuring the ultrafiltration rate and to avoid overfilling the peritoneum. Thus, the calibration of the pump may be used by the controller to determine the net quantity of fluid transferred to the patient and the net quantity drawn from the patient.

Accurate proportioning of components to achieve a target ratio of the constituents may be augmented by compensation factors that may be determined in advance and stored in the controller. These compensation factors may compensate for various factors that influence the ratio of pump cycles to volume displaced different for different fluids flowing in somewhat different flow paths. In the above-described scheme, fluid is conveyed from each of several flow sources, for example, component concentrate containers and a source of water. Although the same pump is used to pump each component, the paths are somewhat different. Similarly the flow path of prepared dialysate from the batch container to the patient differs from the flow path of spent dialysate from the patient to the drain. Further the properties of the fluid may be different. Compensation factors may be stored in the controller and used to allow target ratios of the different dialysate components to be achieved in the final dialysate batch. For example, suppose the flow path of glucose concentrate to the batch container is determined to permit a lower volume of fluid to be transported therethrough for a given number of pump cycles than the flow path of electrolyte to the batch container. In that case, then a higher compensation factor may be stored for the glucose path than for the electrolyte path. The compensation factor may be used to determine the number of pump cycles so that a larger number of pump cycles per unit volume is used, per unit required, to transfer glucose than for transferring electrolyte per unit volume. Although the absolute volume transferred need not be known with accuracy, the use of the compensation factors may preserve the relative ratio of the transferred glucose concentrate and electrolyte concentrate. Note that the compensation factors may be stored as ratios between fluids so that if the mixing involves N fluids, only N−1 factors need to be stored.

Such compensation factors may be generated by experiment in the laboratory using a variety of tubing sets. Compensation factors may be generated similarly for purposes of controlling the total transferred volume of fresh dialysate to the patient as well as the total transferred volume of spent dialysate from the patient. In this case, it is desired to measure the transferred volume. So the compensation factors help to establish the ratio of pump cycles to volume transferred in absolute terms. A compensation factor for measuring the flow of spent dialysate from patient to drain may account for assumed properties of spent dialysate as well as the particular flow path. For determining the volume of dialysate transferred to and from a patient, a compensation factor may be determined in the laboratory by experiment to allow the volume transferred to be predicted from the pump rate given a calibration factor from a calibration procedure which compensates for variability of the configuration and the properties of the fluid. Thus, a calibration may be performed as described with reference to FIG. 22A and this data may be combined with an a priori compensation factor which accounts for the different flow path and properties in transferring fluid from the patient and to the patient. The calibration factor applies to both spent and fresh dialysate transfer and the compensation factor is respective of each. The calibration factor adjusts for differences in configuration attending changes and adjustments to the equipment and the compensation factors account for differences due to flow path and fluid properties. The combination of these may be multiplied by the pump rate to yield flow rate or pump cycles to yield transferred volume.

Note that the calibration data may be stored in any type of data store. Calibration sequences as discussed above may be repeated to generate a table of compensation factors in which multiple conditions are generated. For example, temperature or upstream and downstream pressures may be varied to create a table of compensation factors for a variety of conditions where each compensation factor is selected based on the one combination of conditions that exist for which a flow rate is to be calculated. The prediction of actual transferred volume may be used to augment the ratiometric proportioning discussed above and elsewhere herein. In an embodiment, the volume as predicted by numerical compensation is used to determine the number of cycles of the pump while the pump cycle rates for each component are matched as discussed.

Since for admixing component fluids consistent proportions are required but absolute quantities are less so, calibration may be unnecessary, for embodiments, for the combining of the components of a mixture, such as peritoneal dialysate. But for treatment, it is necessary to at least quantify the difference between fluid taken from the patient and fluid delivered to the patient because the difference represents the net fluid removal, which is a treatment function of peritoneal dialysis. To support the measurement of net fluid removal, calibration of the pump (which includes the pump tube segment in a peristaltic pump) may be done each time a configuration change occurs. Calibration may be augmented, as discussed below, by compensation factors that account for differences in physical flow path characteristics and fluid properties (e.g., the differences between the viscosity of spent vs. fresh dialysate). The compensation factors may be obtained by experiment and stored in a controller and applied with respect to the respective flow configuration. Compensation factors may also be folded into pump cycle to fluid fraction ratios used for admixing components to form a batch. These compensation factors can be lumped together with the required ratios for respective prescriptions in a lookup table or applied in a formula.

For admixing, a formula approach is to store a compensation factor for each flow path. The compensation factor for a given component fluid path may be multiplied by the nominal number pump cycles per unit volume for the pump as and used to control the transfer of the given component to the batch according to the prescription. Alternatively, a lookup table may be used to store a set of predefined prescriptions with pump cycles for each component for each prescription. The stored pump cycles can incorporate the compensation for the differences in each flow path.

The mixing system 1100 may take advantage of repeatability to create accurate constituent ratios in the batch container by employing a single configuration to pump all of the component fluids 1102 to 1108 into the batch container without changing the configuration and using the same pump 1118 (which in the case of a peristaltic pump, may include a pump tube). After, or during, the pumping of component fluids, the pump may also be used for mixing fluids as has been described above.

It has been determined that not only does the configuration affect the repeatability of a pumping configuration, such as a peristaltic pump, but maintaining the pumping rate across the different component fluids may make the ratio more consistent. Thus, referring now to FIG. 21, in an embodiment, at S122 component fluid 1102 is first pumped at a predefined rate Q that is held constant for a predetermined number of cycles of the pump 1118. Then at S124 component fluid 1104 is pumped at the predefined rate Q which is held constant for a predetermined number of cycles of the pump 1118. Then at S126 component fluid 1106 is pumped at the predefined rate Q which is held constant for a predetermined number of cycles of the pump 1118. Then at S128 component fluid 1108 is pumped at the predefined rate Q which is held constant for a predetermined number of cycles of the pump 1118. At S130, the components may be mixed at a first rate which is switched to a second rate at S132 and the rate switching repeated until a mixing interval is elapsed. The mixing may be done by pumping the batch container 1112 contents through a loop out of and back into the batch container 1112. One of these rates (first S130 and second S132) may be lower than the other rate of pumping. In another embodiment, one of these rates (first S130 and second S132) may be zero rate of pumping which allows the liquids to settle. In another embodiment, the flow is periodically reversed so that the first rate is the reverse and/or different magnitude relative to the first. It has been determined that mixing in this manner, that is, varying the rate of mixing, provides more effective mixing in a given period of time than running continuously. At S134, after a predetermined number of cycles, or a period of time, the mixing ends and the batch is made available for use.

Alternative embodiments include mixing systems of any sort, for example, aqueous concentrate mixing systems. Mixing may also be promoted by pulsing the pump. The mixing and proportioning embodiments described herein may be applied to the embodiments of FIGS. 6A13, 17A-17H, 17J-17N, and 17P-17T, and 19 as well as other configurations.

For ensuring accurate proportioning despite variability that results from configuration changes, it is also possible to compensate for changes in pumping rate. For example, an empirical function that estimates actual flow rate for a given flow path for a given pump cycle rate may be stored. For example, the table may store function parameters in columns or rows for pump rotor RPM and complementary rows or columns for each flow path. Thus, rate Q1 may be used for component fluid 1 and Q2 for component fluid 2. If the target ratio of Q1 to Q2 in the mixture is 2:1, then the pump may be run for 2N cycles while pumping fluid 1 and N cycles for pumping fluid 2. This is the general scheme discussed above. But with a compensation factor, one of the fluids may be pumped at a faster rate and the number of pump cycles modified by a factor, which factor may be empirically derived and stored in a table or list. In an example, the compensation factor may result in the fluid that is pumped faster being pumped for slightly more pumping cycles than the other fluid. In a method, multiple configurations are tested to provide the compensation factor. The compensation factor may also be respective to each flow path as well. For example, a first flow path between concentrate A and batch container may have one or a set (each respective to a certain flow or pump cycle rate) and a first flow path between water and the batch container may have another, or another set (each respective to a certain flow or pump cycle rate).

FIG. 22A shows a system for mixing component fluids to form a batch and which includes a description of features for calibrating one or more pumps. FIG. 22A shows a sequential solution mixing system 1101 that employs repeatable component flow rate of component fluids to achieve target ratios thereof without measuring the specific flow rate or transferred volume. The system 1101 features now described may be used with any of the systems or methods described herein. The pump/flow selector device 1110 connects each of the sources 1102, 1104, 1106, and 1108 to a batch container 1112 and further pumps fluid from each of the sources 1102, 1104, 1106, and 1108 to the batch container consecutively using a pump 1118. The pump/flow selector device 1110 may be configured as described with reference to FIG. 8D or 10, for example, but may be any type of arrangement employing a pump and a flow switching mechanism. The pump/flow selector device 1110 may also connect each or some of the sources 1102, 1104, 1106, and 1108 to a drain line 1151, to a consumer line 1153 (e.g., a patient fill/drain line for peritoneal dialysis) which may be used to draw fluid from the batch or from any of the sources 1102, 1104, 1006 or 1108, with the pump 1118 providing the motive force and flow rate regulation for any of the selected transfers. The pump/flow selector 1110 provides the switching required to effect a selected transfer.

A controller 1132 is connected to the pump/flow selector 1110 to control the pump/flow selector 1110. The controller may be configured according to any of the disclosed embodiments and programmed according to any of the disclosed or claimed methods. The controller may be configured to run the pump to flow fluid from the source 1102 to and through the drain line 1151. The controller may be further configured to momentarily connect the source 1104 to the drain line 1151 and pump fluid therethrough. The properties of the fluids from the sources 1102 and 1104 are different and detectable by first and second detector 1155 and 1150. The controller may measure the time delay between detection by the first detector 1155 and detection by the second detector 1150. With knowledge of the volume between the first and second detectors, the time delay, it is possible to derive the flow rate. This may be done automatically using the same components as used for combining and mixing components for a batch by the addition of the required property detectors.

In embodiments, the property detectors are air sensors and air (bubbles) are injected in the fluid line. A small amount of air can be readily detected by air detectors that are standard in blood treatment systems. Conductivity, both contact type and inductive, can also be detected readily.

In embodiments, the dual sensors are used for redundant property measurement to confirm the quality of a mixed dialysate batch before use. The use of redundant sensors is discussed above with reference to redundant sensors 984 and 985 in FIG. 9 and elsewhere. In embodiments, the redundant sensors are spaced apart by a flow channel with a precisely defined and known volume such that they can be used as described for flow rate measurement and calibration. In any of the embodiments in which redundant sensors are used, the controller may be configured to detect not only the property the sensors are adapted to measure, but also to verify the measurement by comparing the sensor signals for agreement. In embodiments, a pair of conductivity sensors are provided in the drain line as disclosed in various embodiments herein. After mixing a batch of dialysate, a sample of the mixed fluid is pumped to the drain so that its conductivity can be measured by the pair of conductivity sensors. The measured conductivity of each sensor is compared with a predefined allowable range stored as data by the controller. If the measured conductivity indicated by either sensor falls outside the allowed range, an output is generated on the user interface to indicate a fault condition. Alternatively, the measured conductivities of the two conductivity sensors are averaged and compared to the predefined range and if the average is outside the range, then the fault indication is generated. The predefine range may be one of several, each of which correspond to a respective prescription. The controller may be further configured to compare the conductivity measurements to each other and generate a fault signal if the difference between the measurements exceeds a predefined disagreement threshold, which threshold may be stored by the controller. The disagreement threshold may be stored as a percentage or an absolute quantity and multiple values may be stored, each for a respective prescription or range of prescriptions. In addition to outputting an indication of a fault on a user interface, the fault signal may be used to halt the pump, operate the valves to prevent use of the dialysate, and other measures.

In an alternative embodiment, a single detector may be used and the elapsed time the time from the initial flow from source 1104 into the pumping line is measured by the controller. As in the previous embodiment, the time delay from injection of fluid from source 1104 to detection may be combined with the predetermined volume of the fluid circuit between the point of connection of the source 1104 and the detector 1150 to determine the rate of flow.

Using the time delay data and the flow volume data, flow rate can be derived and a correlation between pump cycling rate and flow rate can be established and recorded in the controller.

Another way to provide accurate proportioning in the batch admixture is to mitigate the effect of changes in pumping speed, rather than keep the pumping rate constant as discussed with reference to FIG. 20. In an embodiment, components of the batch solution are pumped at different rates. When the valves are switched from a first fluid to a second, a certain initial portion of the second fluid is conveyed to the drain before the valves are switched to flow the second fluid to the batch container. This may eliminate any initial or transient, properties which affect the ratio of displaced volume to pump cycles that cannot be accounted for by a compensation factor. The controller may be configured, thus, to operate the valves so as to connect a new source of fluid momentarily to the drain and then to the batch container. After switching the flow path to the container, the controller begins to cumulate transferred volume to convey a selected amount of the new source fluid to the batch container. FIG. 22B illustrates this procedure for the component fluids of the configuration of FIG. 22A. At S202, fluid is pumped from source 1102 at a first rate Q1 to the batch container 1112. At S204, the pump/flow selector 1110 briefly connects the source 1104 to a secondary outlet, for example, the drain 1153 and then connects the source 1104 to the batch container 1112 at a rate Q2 which may be different from rate Q1. At S206, fluid is pumped from source 1104 at a second rate Q2 to the batch container 1112. At S208, the pump/flow selector 1110 briefly connects the source 1106 to a secondary outlet, for example, the drain 1153 and then connects the source 1106 to the batch container 1112 at a rate Q3 which may be different from rate Q1, Q2, or both. At S210, fluid is pumped from source 1106 at a third rate Q3 to the batch container 1112. At S212, the pump/flow selector 1110 briefly connects the source 1108 to a secondary outlet, for example, the drain 1153 and then connects the source 1108 to the batch container 1112 at a rate Q4 which may be different from rate Q1, Q2, Q3, or any of them. At S214, fluid is pumped at rate Q4 until the required amount is displaced and at steps S130 and S132, the resulting batch is mixed as described with reference to FIG. 21.

Note that although embodiments in FIGS. 20 through 22B contemplate four component fluids, two, three and higher numbers of fluids can be used. The embodiments of FIGS. 20 through 22B illustrate features that may be applied to any of the embodiments described herein, including of those of FIG. 6A et seq.

In embodiments described, for example the detector 1150 (1155), a conductivity cell may be used to measure fluid conductivity. This may be a contact type or non-contact type conductivity sensor or detector. However, other types of property sensors may be used. The fluid used for labeling may be pure water, air, saline. Any combination of fluids that may produce an edge to act as a position label in a fluid stream may be used. Also, the label may be just an interface between two fluids (or any detectable fluid property perturbation such as bolus of bubbles, a temperature change, etc.) so that a single switchover between one fluid (without reversion to the original fluid) may suffice to act as a travel time indicator. The source of air used for labeling may be any source of air. For example, it may be the same source as used for testing of filter integrity so that a single filtered source of air may be used for two purposes. For example, see the bubble point test used for filter integrity test as described with reference to FIG. 9 and elsewhere herein.

The above-described technique for pump calibration may be employed in the embodiment of FIG. 10 in which a PD cycler is used with prepared PD dialysate. In this case only a single fluid may be available. To overcome this problem, the fluid circuit apart from the prepared dialysate, may be pre-filled with sterile pure water which is displaced during priming with the dialysate. The interface between the pure water and the dialysate may thus be used to label the fluid flowing in a path. This may be done multiple times, for several calibration runs, with a pure water slug injected from each prefilled line (lines 1010, 1011, and 1012) while dialysate is pumped through a different line from a different source 1002 and initially, the interface between a source and the prefilled line can be serve as a label for transit time capture.

The above calibration procedures may be implemented so that they are performed once for each batch of PD fluid. Alternatively, they may be performed once each time a disposable circuit is attached to the treatment/preparation system. This may allow for differences in the disposable configuration such as material variability and assembly variability to be compensated adequately. Calibration may be performed in response to the lapse of a certain amount of time. In addition to the above, other calibration procedures may be performed, such as gravimetric calibration where a transferred fluid is weighed, flow sensor (volumetric or velocity sensing) calibration, etc.

Referring now to FIG. 23A, a system for mixing component fluids to form a batch has a permanent pump/flow selector device 1210 which is connected to disposable components, avoiding the need for a disposable manifold component as described in other embodiments herein. The pump/flow selector device 1210 further has a heater 1244 with which it may sterilize the internal fluid circuits, sensors, and pump. The pump/flow selector device 1210 may provide a sequential solution mixing system 1201. The use of a permanent pump/flow selector device may permit the use of a precision positive displacement pump 1218 for example, and rigid flow channels. In the system 1201 the pump/flow selector device 1210 connects each of the sources 1202, 1204, 1206, and 1208 to a batch container 1212 and further pumps fluid from each of the sources 1202, 1204, 1206, and 1208 to the batch container consecutively using the pump 1318. Although four sources are shown, there can be any number including fewer or more. These sources can represent containers or inline production plants or any other type of fluid source. The pump/flow selector device 1210 may be configured to function as described with reference to FIG. 8D or 10, for example, but may be any type of arrangement employing a pump and a flow switching mechanism but with the difference that the flow selection and pumping are provided by permanent components therein.

The pump/flow selector device 1210 may also connect each or some of the sources 1202, 1204, 1206, and 1208 to a drain line 1251, to a consumer line 1253 which may be used to draw fluid from the batch or from any of the sources 1202, 1204, 1206 or 1208 the pump 1218 providing the motive force and quantification for any of the transfers and the flow selector portion of the pump/flow selector 1210 providing the switching required to effect a selectable transfer. The configuration of the flow selector portion of pump/flow selector 1210 may be configured in various ways for interconnecting the sources and sinks illustrated.

The sources 1202, 1204, 1206 or 1208, which may include a water source 1202, and batch container 1212, may be configured as part of a disposable unit 1205. Alternatively water may be provided through the permanent pump/flow selector 1210 portion via a water line 1207 from a water purification plant (not shown but which may be as described with reference to other embodiments disclosed herein). The disposable unit 1205 may be provided with a set of connectors 1266A (only one connector is indicated by a lead line but the remaining are self-evident) for connection to the pump/flow selector 1210 plant. The disposable unit 1205 may include a support that inter-attaches all the sources and the batch container as well as the patient line 1253, or may be separate components. In an embodiment, the support interconnects all the connectors 1266A to allow the attachment of all the connectors in a single manual operation. The pump/flow selector 1210 has a set of connectors 1266B, one for each of the connectors 1266A. The pump/flow selector 1210 may also provide purified water through a water line 1207. In an embodiment, the pump/flow selector 1210 includes a water purification plant which may be as described according any of the disclosed embodiments. It may also include the drain line 1251 and redundant conductivity cells 1255 and 1250 as well as a connection to a plumbing drain. The redundant conductivity cells 1255 and 1250 may be used for calibration as discussed above.

A return header 1240 may allow the pump/flow selector 1210 to circulate sterilizing water or fluid through all of the internal fluid circuitry as well as for sterilizing the connectors. The return header 1240 has respective connectors 1266C for each connector 1266B of the pump/flow selector 1210. The return header 1240 may be simply a single flow plenum connecting all the connectors 1266B. The pump/flow selector 1210 may be configured to vary the flow paths through the return header 1240 to provide for full sterilization of the connectors and the pump/flow selector 1210 internal plumbing. The details of the internal flow circuit of pump/flow selector 1210 may be functionally as described with reference to other embodiments. As depicted in FIG. 23B, the pump/flow selector 1210 may include permanent valves 1272 and internal permanent flow lines 1274 interconnected to provide the functionality described with reference to other embodiments. In a sterilizing operation, the valves 1272, heater 1244, and pump 1218 may be sequenced to circulate hot fluid through all the components and the return header 1240. The return header 1240 may be removed and the connections to the disposable 1205 made. Then the treatment fluid preparation may be performed as described with reference to the other embodiments by sequentially operating the valves 1272 and pump 1218 under control of the controller 1232. The controller 1132 is connected to the pump/flow selector 1210 to control the selected transfers. The controller may be configured according to any of the disclosed embodiments and programmed according to any of the disclosed or claimed methods.

Referring to FIG. 23C, the return header 1240 may be configured as a movable attachment to the pump/flow selector 1210 component. In FIG. 23C, the return header is shown at 1240A in a first position for sterilization and in a second position 1240B to allow access to connectors 1266B to be accessed by the disposable 1205 connectors 1266A. In the embodiment, the return header 1240 is illustrated as a pivoting element, but it can also be separate or movable in some other mode such as sliding displacement or tethered to the pump/flow selector 1210 component by a flexible leash. The movement may be implemented by a motor (not shown) under control of the controller 1232.

In any of the disclosed embodiments in which the pump is calibrated, the calibration data derived from the calibration may be used by the controller to:

Calculate a volume of fluid transferred to the patient;

Calculate a volume of fluid transferred from the patient;

Calculate a difference between a volume of fluid transferred to the patient and a volume of fluid transferred from the patient;

Determine an amount of fluid being transferred to a patient to compare the amount with a predetermined amount and to regulate the pump so that the amount being transferred does not exceed the predetermined amount; and

Calculate a difference between a volume of fluid transferred to the patient and a volume of fluid transferred from the patient and output an indication if the net transfer is outside a predefined range, the output may be applied to a user interface, a data store such as a treatment log or communicated to an external terminal.

Calculated data may be stored or communicated for storage in a treatment log or displayed on a user interface.

In any of the disclosed embodiments, instead of recirculating fluid in the batch container, or in addition thereto, fluid can be mixed using any of a variety of other devices and methods. These include:

-   -   A batch container support that oscillates the batch container;     -   A magnetic stirrer inside the batch container that is moved in         response to a moving magnetic field generated by the support,         which may done by a mechanical device or armature;     -   A batch container support or element adjacent to the batch         container that vibrates, including ultrasonic vibration;     -   A magnetohydrodynamic induction mixer;     -   A flexible tube through which fluid exits into the batch         container may augment the recirculation mixing described as the         dip tube whips around inside the batch container due to the         reaction to the momentum of fluid ejected from an end thereof;         and     -   Water may be prefilled in the batch container and concentrate         flowed slowly into the container at a top thereof to induce a         circulation owing to the higher density of the concentrate.

While the present invention has been described in conjunction with a number of embodiments, the invention is not to be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein, but rather is defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. It is further evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations would be or are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. Accordingly, Applicant intends to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and variations that are within the spirit and scope of this invention.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (A) a fluid flow system for peritoneal dialysis with a pump that has an inlet and an outlet, the pump being configured to pump fluid from the inlet to the outlet. The system has first flow paths with control valves selectably connectable to the pump inlet, where the first flow paths are connected respectively to respective sources of at least one concentrate and water, and to a dialysis fluid batch container. The system has second flow paths with control valves selectably connectable to the pump outlet, the second flow paths being connected respectively to the dialysis fluid batch container, a patient access line, and a drain line. The drain line has first and second conductivity sensors connected in series in the drain line. A controller is connected to the pump, the control valves, and the first and second conductivity sensors and is configured to operate the pump, connect the first and second flow paths selectably, and measure conductivity of fluid in the drain line. The controller is configured to operate the pump and the control valves to create a fluid interface between first and second fluids and convey the interface to the drain line and further to store time data representing a time interval between a time the interface crosses the first conductivity sensor and the time the interface crosses the second conductivity sensor. This effectively forms the basis of a pump calibration. The time data can be used to regulate the pump cycle speed (cycle speed corresponding to the pump RPM for a peristaltic pump) so as to maintain a target flow rate. In embodiments, the target flow rate is used for balancing peritoneal fluid to and from the patient so that net fluid loss or gain can be calculated. The net fluid gain or loss, in embodiments, is calculated by the controller. The calibration adjusted flow also allows a target volume to administered to a patient during cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment.

In variations of embodiment (A), the controller may be configured to control the quantity of dialysate delivered by limiting the total volume transferred to a predetermined amount, or halt if a predetermined pressure is measured at the distal end of the fill/drain or fill line, whichever occurs sooner during a filling operation. The controller may be configured to operate the pump and the control valves to flow the at least one concentrate and water into the dialysis fluid batch container, to mix the at least one concentrate. Thus, the system may be a combined one for preparing dialysate and performing cycler assisted peritoneal dialysis. As part of the calibration procedure, the controller may be configured to operate the pump and the control valves to create a fluid interface between first and second fluids and convey the interface to the drain line and further to store time data representing a time interval between a time the interface crosses the first conductivity sensor and the time the interface crosses the second conductivity sensor. To support the cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment, the controller may further be configured to operate the pump and the control valves to transfer fluid from the patient access to the drain. Further the controller may be configured to operate the pump and the control valves to transfer fluid from the dialysis fluid batch container to the patient access and further configured to operate the pump and the control valves to transfer fluid from the patient access to the drain responsively to the time data.

In further variations of embodiment (A), the controller may be further configured to operate the pump responsively to the time data and the control valves to transfer fluid from the dialysis fluid batch container to the patient access and further configured to operate the pump and the control valves to transfer fluid from the patient access to the drain. The controller may be further configured to operate the pump and the control valves to transfer fluid from the dialysis fluid batch container to the patient access and further configured to operate the pump and the control valves to transfer fluid from the patient access to the drain. The controller may be further configured to calculate net fluid transfer data responsive to a difference in the volume of transferred fluid from the dialysis fluid batch container to the patient and the volume of transferred fluid from the patient access. The net fluid transfer data may be calculated responsively to the time data and to store the net fluid transfer data in a data store. The controller may be further configured to communicate the net fluid transfer data as an output signal, to display it on a user interface, store it in a memory, and/or add it to a treatment log stored on a non-volatile data store. In any of these embodiments, the pump may be peristaltic pump.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (B) a peritoneal dialysis system with a fluid batch preparation component configured to prepare a batch of dialysate and a cycler component configured to perform cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment. The system includes a controller configured to operate the batch preparation and cycler components. It also includes a peristaltic pump shared by the cycler component and the fluid batch preparation components, the controller being configured to calibrate the pump to generate calibration data. The controller uses the calibration data to do at least one of the following in any combination according to variations of embodiment (B):

-   -   Calculate a volume of fluid transferred to a patient;     -   Calculate a volume of fluid transferred from the patient;     -   Calculate a difference between a volume of fluid transferred to         the patient and a volume of fluid transferred from the patient;     -   Determine an amount of fluid being transferred to a patient to         compare the amount with a predetermined amount and to regulate         the pump so that the amount being transferred does not exceed         the predetermined amount; and     -   Calculate a difference between a volume of fluid transferred to         the patient and a volume of fluid transferred from the patient         and output an indication if the net transfer is outside a         predefined range, in further variations of embodiment (B), the         output may be applied to a user interface, a data store such as         a treatment log or communicated to an external terminal.

In variations of embodiment (B), the cycler and fluid batch preparation components may share a drain line with first and second conductivity sensors. The controller may be configured to compare a conductivity of a batch of fluid, prepared by the fluid batch preparation component, indicated by the first and second conductivity sensors, to a predefined range and output a result of the comparing. The controller may be configured to compare conductivities indicated by each of the first and second conductivity sensors to each other and output a result of the comparing. The first and second conductivity sensors may be arranged in series along the drain line and the controller is configured to calibrate the pump at least in part by generating a conductivity perturbation in a flow through the drain line and measuring a time between successive detections of the perturbation by the first and second conductivity sensors.

In further variations of embodiment (B), the controller may be configured to generate the conductivity perturbation by flowing a first and second fluids in the drain line, wherein one of the fluids is water, wherein the first and second fluids have different conductivities. The controller may be configured to generate the conductivity perturbation by flowing a portion of a batch of dialysate and purified water in the drain line, in succession. The controller may be configured to generate the conductivity perturbation by flowing water and a portion of a batch of dialysate in the drain line, in succession. The fluid batch preparation module may include flow path selection actuators that are configured to connect a batch container with a water source and one or more concentrate containers.

In further variations of embodiment (B), the cycler and fluid batch preparation components share a drain line connected to a drain. The controller may be configured to control the flow path selection actuators and the pump to transfer fluid from a concentrate container and a water source at a single pumping rate. The controller may be configured to control the flow path selection actuators and the pump such that between a time of pumping water and a time of pumping concentrate, a bolus of the concentrate is transferred to the drain and then a quantity of the concentrate is transferred to the batch container.

According to embodiments, (C) the disclosed subject matter includes a peritoneal dialysis system with a fluid batch preparation component configured to prepare a batch of dialysate. The system includes a cycler component configured to perform cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment and a controller configured to operate the batch preparation and cycler components. The system also includes a peristaltic pump shared by the cycler component and the fluid batch preparation components. The cycler and fluid batch preparation components share a drain line connected to a drain and the controller is configured to control the flow path selection actuators and the pump to transfer fluid from a concentrate container and a water source to a batch container that holds the batch of dialysate. The controller is further configured to do at least one of the following in any combination according to various embodiments based on embodiment (C):

Pumping fluid at a same pumping rate when a first flow path for transferring water to the batch container as when pumping concentrate to the batch container; or

Controlling the flow path selection actuators and the pump such that between a pumping water and pumping concentrate, a bolus of the concentrate or water is transferred to the drain effective to ensure a constant relationship between pumping speed and flow rate during the transfer of the concentrate or water to the batch container.

In further variations of embodiment (C), the controller may be configured to prepare a batch of fluid and then to perform cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment with the batch of fluid.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (D) a peritoneal dialysis system with a fluid batch preparation component configured to prepare a batch of dialysate. The system includes a cycler component configured to perform cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment and a controller configured to operate the batch preparation and cycler components. The system further includes a peristaltic pump shared by the cycler component and the fluid batch preparation components. The cycler and fluid batch preparation components share a drain line connected to a drain. The controller is configured to control the flow path selection actuators and the pump to transfer fluid from a concentrate container and a water source to a batch container that holds the batch of dialysate. The controller is further configured to flow water to and from the batch container to mix the concentrate and water after they are transferred thereto, and when mixing, the controller will vary a rate of flow or periodically halt the flow that performs the mixing during a mixing interval.

In variations of embodiment (D), the controller may be configured to prepare a batch of fluid and then to perform cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment with the batch of fluid. The controller may vary the rate of flow during the mixing. The controller may periodically halt the rate of flow during mixing. The varying or halting of the mixing flow makes the mixed batch mix better in a shorter period of time.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (E) a medical treatment device with a treatment machine configured to pump a medicament to a patient. The device has a flow line having a proximal end located at the treatment machine and a distal end attachable to a patient access. The device further has a distal pressure sensor positioned to detect pressure in the flow line at the distal end. The distal pressure sensor includes an in-line pressure pod at the distal end with an air line running parallel to, and attached at points along, the flow line. The air line is connected at one end to the pressure pod and at the other end to a pressure sensing assembly located at the treatment machine. In a variation of embodiment (E), the flow line and air line form an integral plastic structure which may be formed by coextrusion.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (F) a medical treatment device with a treatment machine configured to pump a medicament to a patient and a flow line with a proximal end located at the treatment machine and a distal end attachable to a patient access. The line has proximal pressure sensor positioned to detect a pressure in the flow line proximal end and a distal pressure sensor positioned to detect pressure in the flow line at the distal end. The distal pressure sensor includes an in-line pressure pod at the distal end with an air line running parallel to, and attached at points along, the flow line, the air line connected at one end to the pressure pod and at the other end to a pressure sensing assembly located at the treatment machine. In a variation of embodiment (F), flow line and air line form an integral plastic structure which may be formed by coextrusion. The treatment machine may be a peritoneal cycler.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (G) a medical treatment component with a pressure pod having a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber being separated from the second by a diaphragm. The component has first and second tubes joined along their length where the first tube has a lumen and is connected at a first end thereof to the pressure pod such that the first tube lumen is in fluid communication with the first chamber. The second tube has a lumen and is connected at a first end thereof to the pressure pod such that the second tube lumen is in fluid communication with the second chamber. The first and second tubes have connectors at second ends thereof, which are opposite the first ends. The connectors are respectively adapted for connection to a pressure transducer and a liquid medicament source.

In variation of embodiment (G), the first and second tubes may be integrally attached along their length so that the first and second tubes form an integral structure. The first and second tubes are may be principally a coextrusion with a uniform cross-sectional configuration along a major portion of their lengths.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (H) a method of performing a peritoneal dialysis treatment. The method includes connecting a disposable unit to a source of water, the disposable unit including at least a first container holding a first sterile concentrate containing an osmotic agent, a second container holding a second sterile concentrate containing electrolytes, an empty sterile mixing container, and a tubing set with a pre-attached peritoneal fill/drain line. The method further includes receiving a prescription command by a controller, indicating at least the fill volume and desired final concentration of the osmotic agent to be used for a current fill cycle under the treatment and using the controller, pumping quantities of concentrated osmotic agent, responsively to the prescription command and to achieve the desired final concentration, into the mixing container. The pumping includes using a single pump and pumping the water, the first sterile concentrate, and the second sterile concentrate using a single pump speed to pump each of the fluids. The method further includes mixing the contents of the mixing container and further diluting or further adding concentrated osmotic agent to the mixing container. The method includes flowing fluid from the mixing container to a patient.

In a variation of embodiment (H), the method may further include, prior to the pumping a quantity of the concentrated osmotic agent, responsively to the prescription command, using the controller, pumping a volume of water from the source of water into the mixing container. The method may include, after the mixing, detecting the concentration of osmotic agent in the mixing container. The pumping may be such that different volumes of the first and second sterile concentrate are conveyed.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (I) a method of preparing a treatment fluid. The method includes actuating a flow switch to connect a first fluid concentrate to a pump and flowing the second fluid concentrate through the pump into a batch container at a first pumping rate. The method includes activating the flow switch to connect a second fluid concentrate to the pump and flowing the second fluid concentrate through the pump into the batch container at a second pumping rate. The method includes activating the flow switch to connect a diluent fluid source to the pump and flowing the diluent fluid through the pump into the batch container at a third pumping rate. The method includes controlling a pumping rate of the pump to maintain constant pumping rates wherein the first, second, and third pumping rates are identical and held constant during the pumping.

In a variation of embodiment (I), the flowing the first fluid concentrate and the flowing the second fluid concentrate may be such that different overall volumes of the first and second fluid concentrates are conveyed. The flowing the first fluid concentrate and the flowing the diluent fluid may be such that different overall volumes of the first fluid concentrate and the diluent are conveyed. The flowing the first fluid concentrate, flowing the first fluid concentrate, and the flowing the diluent fluid may be such that the respective volumes of the first fluid concentrate, the second fluid concentrate, and the diluent conveyed to the batch container differ from each other. The method may include using the pump to mix fluid in the batch container. He method may include using the pump to mix fluid in the batch container to convey mixed fluid from the batch container to a patient. The using the pump to mix fluid may include drawing fluid from a first connector of the batch container and flowing fluid back into the batch container through a second connector of the batch container. The using the pump to mix fluid may include periodically varying the rate of flow during a mixing operation. The using the pump to mix fluid may include periodically halting the rate of flow during a mixing operation. The using the pump to mix fluid may include periodically reversing the flow during a mixing operation. The method may include calibrating the pump prior to generate at least one flow calibration parameter and determining a number of cycles of the pump responsively to the at least one calibration parameter.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes a fluid handling system having connectors for the batch container and the first and second source fluids and diluent sources, the system further having a digital controller programmed to implement a method according to any of the described methods.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes a (J) disposable unit for peritoneal dialysis with a batch container and one or more concentrate containers interconnected by a flow switch. The flow switch is configured to be actuated by a predefined fluid management system to define multiple flow paths therewithin. The flow switch has a port with either, a connector for a patient line or a patient line. The concentrate containers are prefilled with concentrate. A pump tubing segment is connected to the flow switch and arranged to selectively interconnect the port for flow therethrough.

In a variation of embodiment (J), the flow switch may be further configured to connect the batch container via two openings in the batch container such that when the flow switch is suitably actuated by the predefined fluid management system, fluid can flow between the two openings through the pump tubing segment. The batch container may be a bag. The batch container and the one or more concentrate containers may be bags. The unit may enclose an internal fluid handling volume that is sealed and sterile.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes a (K) disposable unit for peritoneal dialysis. A batch container and one or more concentrate containers are interconnected by a flow switch. The flow switch is configured to be actuated by a predefined fluid management system to define multiple flow paths therewithin. The flow switch has a port with a patient line and the concentrate containers are prefilled with concentrate. A pump tubing segment connects to the flow switch and is arranged to selectively interconnect the port for flow therethrough. The patient line has two collinear tubes attached along their lengths and a pressure pod at a patient end thereof with one of the tubes being configured for connecting an air side of the pressure pod to a pressure transducer and the other end of the one of the tubes being connected to an air chamber of the pressure pod.

In a variation of embodiment (K), the flow switch may be further configured to connect the batch container via two openings in the batch container such that when the flow switch is suitably actuated by the predefined fluid management system, fluid can flow between the two openings through the pump tubing segment. The batch container may be a bag. The batch container and the one or more concentrate containers may be bags. The unit may enclose an internal fluid handling volume that is sealed and sterile.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (L) a disposable kit for peritoneal dialysis. The kit includes a fluid circuit unit including a batch container and one or more concentrate containers interconnected by a flow switch. The flow switch is configured to be actuated by a predefined fluid management system to define multiple flow paths therewithin. The flow switch has a connector for a patient line. The concentrate containers are prefilled with concentrate. A pump tubing segment connects to the flow switch and is arranged to selectively interconnect the port for flow therethrough in either of opposite directions. A patient line has two collinear tubes attached along their lengths and a pressure pod at a patient end thereof with one of the tubes being configured for connecting an air side of the pressure pod to a pressure transducer and the other end of the one of the tubes being connected to an air chamber of the pressure pod.

In a variation of embodiment (L), the flow switch may be further configured to connect the batch container via two openings in the batch container such that when the flow switch is suitably actuated by the predefined fluid management system, fluid can flow between the two openings through the pump tubing segment. The batch container may be a bag as may be the one or more concentrate containers. The unit may enclose an internal fluid handling volume that is sealed and sterile.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (M) a method of preparing a treatment fluid, that includes actuating a flow switch to connect a first fluid concentrate to a pump and flowing the first fluid concentrate through the pump into a batch container at a first pumping rate. The method includes activating the flow switch to connect a second fluid concentrate to the pump and flowing the second fluid concentrate through the pump into the batch container at a second pumping rate. The method further includes activating the flow switch to connect a diluent fluid source to the pump and flowing the diluent fluid through the pump into the batch container at a third pumping rate. The method includes, prior to the activating, performing a calibration operation to calibrate the pump and thereby generate at least one calibration parameter. The activating operations include determining with a controller the pump responsively to the at least one calibration parameter. The term flow switch, as describe elsewhere, is a fluid handling system that can selectively convey fluid between selected sources and destinations and the term activating refers to the use of any mechanism that proves the selection of the alternative flow paths of the fluid handling system. A fluid handling system may have connectors for the batch container and the first and second source fluids and diluent source, the system further having a digital controller programmed to implement the foregoing methods.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (N) a self-calibrating medical treatment system with a fluid circuit that includes a pumping portion and a flow switching portion, the flow switching portion being configured to connected between multiple fluid sources and a supply port for outputting fluid components or mixtures thereof. A controller is configured to control a pump in engagement with the pumping portion and to control switching actuators interoperable with the switching portion. The controller further has at least one fluid property detector configured to detect a change in fluid property at a point in the fluid circuit. The controller is configured to calibrate a pumping operation embodied by an engagement of the pumping portion and the pump by performing the following sequence:

-   -   1. controlling the pump and the switching portion to convey a         first fluid across the point;     -   2. controlling the pump and the switching portion to convey a         second fluid toward and across the point through a portion of         the fluid circuit having a predefined volume while measuring a         time interval until the second fluid reaches and is detected by         the at least one fluid property sensor;     -   3. generating a control parameter for mixing proportions of         fluids using the fluid circuit responsively to the time interval         and the predefined volume.         In a variation of embodiment (N), The controller may be         configured to calibrate the pumping operation when the fluid         circuit is replaced. The controlling the pump and the switching         portion to convey a second fluid toward and across the point         through the portion of the fluid circuit may include conveying a         bolus of the second fluid followed by the first fluid.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (O) a method for supplying a patient for home peritoneal dialysis treatment and for treatment during travel. The method includes supplying containers of pure sterile water in a quantity for anticipated treatment days during travel. The method further includes supplying treatment concentrate in a quantity for anticipated treatment days during travel and non-travel treatment days.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (P) a method of providing dialysate for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The method includes using a device configured for preparing a first batch of dialysate for at least one dialysis treatment session, the device having a mixed batch container into which fluids are pumped to prepare the first batch of dialysate for use in a cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment. The method further includes using the device to perform cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment in which a pumping portion of the device conveys dialysate from the first batch container to a patient's peritoneum and extracts the first batch from the peritoneum, while measuring net fluid gain or loss between the fluid conveyed to the peritoneum and fluid extracted therefrom. The method further includes using the device to prepare a second batch of dialysate for CAPD, including connecting a CAPD container to a predefined connector, filling the container from the mixed batch container to the CAPD container.

In a variation of embodiment (P), the using the device to prepare a second batch may be performed responsively to a controller signal indicating an end of a treatment cycle of which the using the device to perform cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment is a part. The method may include using a device configured for preparing a third batch of dialysate for a respective cycle of the cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment.

According to embodiments, the disclosed subject matter includes (Q) a system for implementing any of the methods defined above including a fluid preparation and treatment device including concentrate dilution and mixing components, an auxiliary port for attaching a container for receiving dialysate therethrough and a controller programmed to implement one or more cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment cycles in which the controller controls the fluid preparation and treatment device to prepare one or more batches of dialysate and fills and drains a peritoneum one or more times. The controller is further programmed to prepare additional dialysate at the end of the one or more cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment cycles to fill the peritoneum and dispense additional dialysate through the auxiliary port for use in CAPD. The dialysate flow from a batch container may be used for the cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis treatment cycles to the auxiliary port to dispense the additional dialysate.

In any of the foregoing embodiments, methods and systems and devices may be implemented using well-known digital systems. It will be appreciated that the modules, processes, systems, and sections described and/or suggested herein can be implemented in hardware, hardware programmed by software, software instruction stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium or a combination of the above. For example, a method for controlling the disclosed systems can be implemented, for example, using a processor configured to execute a sequence of programmed instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium. For example, the processor can include, but not be limited to, a personal computer or workstation or other such computing system that includes a processor, microprocessor, microcontroller device, or is comprised of control logic including integrated circuits such as, for example, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The instructions can be compiled from source code instructions provided in accordance with a programming language such as Java, C++, C#.net or the like. The instructions can also comprise code and data objects provided in accordance with, for example, the Visual Basic™ language, LabVIEW, or another structured or object-oriented programming language. The sequence of programmed instructions and data associated therewith can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as a computer memory or storage device which may be any suitable memory apparatus, such as, but not limited to read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), random-access memory (RAM), flash memory, disk drive and the like.

As used herein and in the claims, the term cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis describes transferring fluid to the peritoneum of a living host and transferring fluid from the peritoneum of the host after a period of time.

Furthermore, the modules, processes, systems, and sections can be implemented as a single processor or as a distributed processor. Further, it should be appreciated that the steps mentioned above may be performed on a single or distributed processor (single and/or multi-core). Also, the processes, modules, and sub-modules described in the various figures of and for embodiments above may be distributed across multiple computers or systems or may be co-located in a single processor or system. Exemplary structural embodiment alternatives suitable for implementing the modules, sections, systems, means, or processes described herein are provided below.

The modules, processors or systems described above can be implemented as a programmed general purpose computer, an electronic device programmed with microcode, a hard-wired analog logic circuit, software stored on a computer-readable medium or signal, an optical computing device, a networked system of electronic and/or optical devices, a special purpose computing device, an integrated circuit device, a semiconductor chip, and a software module or object stored on a computer-readable medium or signal, for example.

Embodiments of the method and system (or their sub-components or modules), may be implemented on a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a programmed microprocessor or microcontroller and peripheral integrated circuit element, an ASIC or other integrated circuit, a digital signal processor, a hardwired electronic or logic circuit such as a discrete element circuit, a programmed logic circuit such as a programmable logic device (PLD), programmable logic array (PLA), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), programmable array logic (PAL) device, or the like. In general, any process capable of implementing the functions or steps described herein can be used to implement embodiments of the method, system, or a computer program product (software program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium).

Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosed method, system, and computer program product may be readily implemented, fully or partially, in software using, for example, object or object-oriented software development environments that provide portable source code that can be used on a variety of computer platforms. Alternatively, embodiments of the disclosed method, system, and computer program product can be implemented partially or fully in hardware using, for example, standard logic circuits or a very-large-scale integration (VLSI) design. Other hardware or software can be used to implement embodiments depending on the speed and/or efficiency requirements of the systems, the particular function, and/or particular software or hardware system, microprocessor, or microcomputer being utilized. Embodiments of the method, system, and computer program product can be implemented in hardware and/or software using any known or later developed systems or structures, devices and/or software by those of ordinary skill in the applicable art from the function description provided herein and with a general basic knowledge of control systems and/or computer programming arts.

Moreover, embodiments of the disclosed method, system, and computer program product can be implemented in software executed on a programmed general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, or the like.

It is, thus, apparent that there is provided, in accordance with the present disclosure, peritoneal dialysis devices, methods and systems. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations are enabled by the present disclosure. Features of the disclosed embodiments can be combined, rearranged, omitted, etc., within the scope of the invention to produce additional embodiments. Furthermore, certain features may sometimes be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, Applicants intend to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and variations that are within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A dialysate batch mixing system, comprising: a fluid circuit with a drain line having at least two conductivity sensors; a batch container with a volume sufficient for at least one PD fill cycle; a pump controlled by a controller; the controller being programmed to generate an interface between fluids by injecting a bolus of a fluid whose conductivity is to be measured followed by a fluid having a different conductivity from said bolus, the transition of conductivity defining said interface; measuring at least one of a time said interface takes to reach said at least two conductivity sensors, a time delay between successive measurements of conductivity of said at least two conductivity sensors, a conductivity of said bolus, and a difference between indications of conductivity of said bolus by said at least two conductivity sensors.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said: measuring at least one of a time said interface takes to reach said at least two conductivity sensors, a time delay between successive measurements of conductivity of said at least two conductivity sensors, a conductivity of said bolus, and a difference between indications of conductivity of said bolus by said at least two conductivity sensors includes both measuring at least one of a time said interface takes to reach said at least two conductivity sensors and measuring a time delay between successive measurements of conductivity of said at least two conductivity sensors.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said: measuring at least one of a time said interface takes to reach said at least two conductivity sensors, a time delay between successive measurements of conductivity of said at least two conductivity sensors, a conductivity of said bolus, and a difference between indications of conductivity of said bolus by said at least two conductivity sensors includes measuring a difference between indications of conductivity of said bolus by said at least two conductivity sensors.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller outputs an alarm in the event of a disagreement between said indications of conductivity by said at least two conductivity sensors.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said measuring at least one of a time said interface takes to reach said at least one conductivity sensor and a conductivity of said bolus includes measuring a conductivity of said bolus.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein said measuring includes at least one of a time said interface takes to reach said at least one conductivity sensor and a conductivity of said bolus includes measuring a time said interface takes to reach said at least two conductivity sensors.
 7. A dialysate batch mixing system, comprising: a fluid circuit with a drain line having at least one conductivity sensor; a batch container with a volume sufficient for at least one PD fill cycle; a pump controlled by a controller; the controller being programmed to generate an interface between fluids by injecting a bolus of a fluid whose conductivity is to be measured followed by a fluid having a different conductivity from said bolus, the transition of conductivity defining said interface; measuring at least one of a time said interface takes to reach said at least one conductivity sensor and a conductivity of said bolus.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one conductivity sensor includes at least two conductivity sensors.
 9. The system of claim 7, wherein said measuring includes at least one of a time said interface takes to reach said at least one conductivity sensor and a conductivity of said bolus includes said conductivity of said bolus.
 10. The system of claim 7, wherein said measuring includes at least one of a time said interface takes to reach said at least one conductivity sensor and a conductivity of said bolus includes measuring a time said interface takes to reach said at least on conductivity sensor. 